The Muliebral Transmogrification of Gundam Wing
by ShaPip
Summary: The year is After Colony 195. After young Heero Yuy has self detonated to be a martyr for his cause, we rejoin the wonderful world of Gundam, but with a new twist-- Three new pilots, and all of them female.
1. The Landing of a Beginning

DISCLAIMER: None of the original characters from "Gundam Wing" are mine,  
Sha's, Cha's or even mine! ^-^ SO don't sew me! Haha.... ha... sue.  
~~* Prelude *~~ It is the year 195. The 5 gundams have already landed on earth and are attacking Oz facilities all around the world.  
  
The Five Pilots  
  
Heero Yuy has recently self detonated after a battle against Zechs Merquise and is under the care of Trowa Barton.  
  
Duo Maxwell and Quatre R Winner are flying away from a midnight battle against Oz with the Maganac corps., headed for space.  
  
Trowa Barton is still traveling around the world with his traveling circus, awaiting a new order while Catherine takes the most time watching over Heero.  
  
Cheng Wufei is in his beloved homeland of China, fighting battles as usual.  
  
Now begins our tale....  
  
~~* ~~~* ~~* Episode 11: The Landing of a Beginning *~~ *~~~ *~~  
  
A huge realm of nothing-- black skies dotted with little shimmering stars. Outer space. A space ship like craft flies at an alarming speed towards earth, leaving a red streak across the sky. From there, the earth is nothing but a shinning green, blue, and white sphere hanging like a marionette.  
  
"I'm almost to earth, finally" said the ship's pilot, in a deep female voice.  
  
Suddenly, a huge burst of speed and wind zips past the ship, shaking it furiously back and forth. But there was nothing but a sparkling blue streak also heading towards the earth.  
  
"What the--?!" the pilot shouted. She pushed a button and two screens came up. A radar and a heat censor. "Nothing on radar? But, there's something... on the heat... censor."  
  
She looked around but there was nothing. Even the blue trail was gone.  
  
Just a comet, she thought, a wandering comet...  
  
~~*  
  
Far ahead was another ship, the invisible burst. It was heading to earth, too.  
  
"Ha! Betcha didn't see that one coming!" the pilot snickered, looking at an image of the other ship on a screen.  
  
The invisible ship started to enter the earth's atmosphere. The pressure and gravitational pull were immense! The pilot was struggling to stay upright in the cockpit. Soon enough, as the ship entered the second highest atmosphere, red seams began growing on the ship. The invisible protection started cracking and, eventually, disappeared. A huge space-plane appeared. A suit carrier.  
  
"Oh, no! My camouflage! What happened?!" the pilot looked at various data boxes that popped up on screens when she touched buttons.  
  
Following not to far behind was the other ship. As it approached the farthest atmosphere, two huge wings emerged from the sides. They moved a bit until the ship was balanced perfectly. The pilot pulled the control stick all the way forward and the ship began to nose-dive towards the earth. It began to gradually speed up. The heat of the sun and the ozone combined began to heat up the nose oft he craft, turning it bright red.  
  
~~*  
  
Miles and miles away, the second ship was almost completely through the atmospheres. Gently, it glided at an angle towards former Europe. The whole ship was hot from the sun and needed to hurry and get out of the atmospheres to cool off before it began to burn up. Suit carriers didn't have as awesome protection against heat as civilian jets, so they had to move faster.  
  
Once she got to the main atmosphere of the earth, "pilot 2" had to locate the landing strip in east Germany she was to land at. That was the most difficult part.  
  
~~*  
  
A small training field in former Canada was filled with Oz aries and leos. All practicing maneuvers. The commander stood atop a building, watching over his troop of soldiers.  
  
"Okay!" he said through a huge PA system, "Everyone! Regroup at once!"  
  
Dozens and dozens of aries and leos lined up in an order in front of the commander, ready to receive orders.  
  
"I want all of you to take to the air. Leos! Use your flight packs! Aries, I want you to practices formations and use the leos for obstacles! Now!"  
  
"Sir!" all of the soldiers yelped then headed off into more training.  
  
Aries in circles and triangles, arrows and diamonds filled the skies. While the leos hovered a couple hundred feet up, zipping back and forth, making sure not to hit low flying aries.  
  
Meanwhile....  
  
The dark colored ship shook and rattled as it zipped through the atmospheres faster than the other had. The pilot was stiff as a board once they got through because of the adjust to a lower height and higher gravity. She pulled up an on-screen map and pin pointed her landing strip.  
  
"Four miles east of Hudson Bay. Sounds like a plan." she murmured to herself. The pilot stepped on the accelerator and was off towards former Canada in no time. She had to pull the wings in a bit, then out, then had to flex them up in order to get the perfect resistance to stay at this overwhelming speed.  
  
Two or three minutes later she had reached Texas and decided to slow down a bit, it wouldn't be too much longer until the base showed up screen. The ship slowed down a bit and just cruised at a, still, incredibly fast speed northeast. Vast fields of nothing, dust and grass, spanned for miles and miles. A military base and a few towns zipped by like nothing as she approached the great lakes.  
  
"I better slow down and descend a bit" she said.  
  
~~*  
  
Up ahead a hundred miles or so was the training base. All of the suits were still in flight, high above the ground. The aries were dodging leos, all in a strange formation.  
  
The huge, black plane began to descend and tried the brakes. The ship slowed down a little, but not enough to land.  
  
"What?!? My brakes?" the pilot looked at a red box flashing on a screen to the right. Brake failure. it flashed incessantly  
  
The ship blasted past fields and farms and houses. And the training field was approaching fast.  
  
"Maybe I could do a belly landing in a field" the pilot said calmly. She looked all around for a field to land in, switching camera views to every direction possible. Finally she looked back forwards. The training base was just a mile ahead.  
  
Slowly, the Oz soldiers began noticing the oncoming ship and reported to their commander.  
  
"What?" he looked at a computer screen that was focused on the ship.  
  
"What is that? It can't be what I think it is.... that mobile suit self detonated!"  
  
Before anyone could do hardly a thing, including the pilot of the speeding ship, the ship crashed through the base. Aries and leos were exploding violently everywhere. Pieces of arms and legs and people were all over the ground.  
  
"Aaaaeeeeehhh!!!" the pilot screamed as she hit a mountain side intensely. Dirt and dust and plants flew every way imaginable. But the machine was hardly harmed, except for a bent wing. The pilot lay on the screens, almost lifeless.  
  
~~*  
  
The huge suit carrier slowed down and descended and got ready to land at a huge pavement area near a hangar. As she lowered the ship, a little green jeep zipped over near where she was landing. Huge gusts of wind spread along the ground from under the ship, rocking the jeep. As the huge wheels of the ship hit the khaki cement the gusts went away and a ladder fell from the the door to the ground.  
  
The pilot whipped the helmet off and tossed it onto the floor as she stood up to get out. Her semi- crimpy dusty blonde hair bounced a bit as it fell out of the helmet. She tugged at the collar of the brown space suit a few times before she got outside. Those things can get hot!  
  
"Hey! Are you from the colonies!?" the guy in the jeep hollered up to the girl.  
  
"Yeah! Are you the mechanic from the colonies?!" she yelled back.  
  
"Sure am!" he replied. When she got down, he jumped out of the jeep and walked over to the young girl. "My name is Strichter and I'll refuel and fix up your carrier and mobile suit for ya'!"  
  
"My name is Shanell. Please do fix it up. On the way here, my mobile suit's camouflage went out. I was using it for the whole carrier, I think I blew a fuse or something."  
  
"Yeah, you over loaded it. But that's okay, your suit's creator sent me the info on the features. We'll have it done in no time." Strichter replied.  
  
He pulled a little phone out of his pocket and ordered several men to come and begin work on the suit and craft. "Feel free to help out, if you're paranoid of people touching' your suit. Or you could go inside. There's a break room through that yellow door."  
  
"Okay. I think I'll go rest. Thank you so much." Shanell said before heading towards the building. She looked inside the hangar before going into the room. There were two other mobile suits inside being refueled and reloaded. And another carrier.  
  
When she went to reach for the doorknob she heard people talking inside of the room. They were talking about the suits she saw. Shanell turned the knob and the the talking stopped. As she opened the door, two boys were inside and looked at her.  
  
"Oh! I am sorry, were you busy?" Shanell managed to say.  
  
The one on the right just gave her a glare and looked back to the Television. His blue eyes were so kind yet he looked so evil at the moment. His long, sorrel braided hair made him look sweet, though. Next to him sat a boy about the same age. He had kind, blue eyes, too and short blonde hair. He looked like he was very kind boy, more than the other.  
  
"No, not at all!" the blonde one said. "Please, come in if you like"  
  
Shanell shut the door behind her and smiled a little at the two and immediately sat in a comfy-chair in the corner across from the two. She looked back and forth between the two and the TV.  
  
"You don't have to be nervous! We won't bite." the blonde one said, noticing how Shanell was in the far corner.  
  
"I will..." the long haired one said as he looked at her in the corner of his eye.  
  
"Oh, it's not that." Shanell said jumpily "I... just... like corners! Yeah..."  
  
"Well then, okay! I guess you'll be safe from being bitten then!" the longhaired one replied.  
  
Both of the boys laughed a little, but it wasn't funny enough to remember.  
  
They all sat silently with the TV on the news. They were reporting the weather in German. The long haired kid was listening intently, but Shanell doubted if he knew what they were saying. Maybe he was learning. She looked back out the window and watched the mechanics fix the camouflage mechanism.  
  
"Is that yours?" the blonde kid snuck up behind Shanell and watched with her. Actually, he was trying to watch another suit and she didn't notice him there.  
  
"Huh?!" Shanell almost jumped out of the chair "Oh... yes. It is." She watched him and her suit for a while "Is one of those yours?" she pointed to the other two.  
  
"Yeah. The tall one, with the feathered shoulders." he said, pointing it out. "The one with the beam scythe? That's Duo's."  
  
"Duo? Is that him?" Shanell referred to the long haired boy. He heard his name and looked over at the two.  
  
"What?" Duo, as it seemed, asked.  
  
"Okay... so that is yours" she looked at the third mobile suit over.  
  
"Here, my name is Quatre Raberba Winner. I'll just give you that useless information." the blonde kid turned towards Shanell.  
  
"Useless? " Shanell asked.  
  
"Well, we might never meet again" Quatre explained.  
  
"In that case, I'll give you some useless information. My name is Shanell" she put her hand out to shake Quatre's and so did he.  
  
"Hey, Quatre. Can you tell if they're almost done?" Duo asked as he turned off the TV.  
  
"No, why?" Quatre asked walking over to the counter near Shanell.  
  
"Just wondering'" Duo put his feet up on the coffee table and relaxed. Shanell watched the two and her suit. Duo. Quatre. And her mobile suit.  
  
Suddenly, the door burst open and Strichter stood in the doorway with a terrified face. Beads of sweat ran down his frantic face and neck.  
  
"What's the matter?" Quatre asked quickly.  
  
"Someone's attacking the hangar!" Strichter said as the first bomb went off outside, hitting Shanell's carrier straight on "I-I think it's Oz!"  
  
The three looked at each other and Strichter. Shanell jumped up.  
  
"Is the camouflage fixed?" she demanded.  
  
"Yeah, I think" Strichter replied as Shanell pushed him aside and began running towards the brightly colored suit, towering over the room.  
  
~~*  
  
The pilot of the crashed ship lifted her arm and slammed her fist on a huge green button, making a huge door open in front of her. The seat belts unsnapped and she fell to the soft grass bellow. She just lay there for a few seconds before she grabbed her helmet and launched it off to the side. Random brown hairs clung to her face and other stood up from the static. She kept her eyes closed and tried to catch her breath. When she opened her eyes slightly all she saw was a huge dark mass above her. The morning sun reflected off the silver and hit her eyes. The two half seat belts dangled aimlessly above her head as if they were to fall and klonk her on the head. An endless beeping started from the machine above her. Lights began to blink and she slammed her hands over her ears.  
  
"Uh... no... stop beeping..." she managed to piece together a sentence. the girl stood up and wobbled around a bit with her hands still plastered to her ears. She removed her hands and walked drunkenly over to the tip of the ship. She began climbing up the long metal, hollow cylinder at the front of the ship. She managed to get up and on top the the main body of the ship pretty easily. There, the beeping was loudest and she had a hard time concentrating on finding what she was looking for.  
  
There, on the center top, was a huge square hole. Inside was a cylindrical tube with a lever inside. It went about 3 feet down. The girl reached her arm down the hole, attempting to hit the button but the beeping and flashing were throwing her off. Finally, she grabbed a tree branch that was laying near the hole and poked the lever off. The beeping faded and the blinking ceased. The girl laid down near the hole with the branch sticking out and closed her eyes. The ominous gray clouds above her circled around the mountain range near the crash site. A cool breeze blew by, carrying little water droplets with it and hit her face.  
  
The girl sat up after a while and headed around to the entrance to the ship. She quickly jumped over and onto a control panel. She grabbed the control stick and attempted to pull the ship upright-- crashed onto it's side. A metallic screeching sound surrounded the area as the ship slowly flipped itself over using the broken wing.  
  
"Now what?" she asked no one as she sat in the cock pit chair "I can't fix that wing... HELP?"  
  
~~*  
  
Shanell grabbed onto the ladder that lead up to the mobile suit's cockpit and climbed up. She opened the huge doors and jumped into the seat. She tapped a dozen buttons and the doors shut, the screens lit up and the engines roared on.  
  
"Whats making that sound?" said an aries pilot outside the closed hangar doors. Quatre and Duo both raced outside to see if they could access their suits. They were at the far end and the hangar doors were going to break soon.  
  
"Let's go.." Shanell said to herself as she began to walk the machine towards the doors. The huge gray right hand of the machine went over and hit a panel below the door. The suit became invisible instantly.  
  
Quatre, Duo, and Strichter tried to watch her but the suit was completely invisible.  
  
"I hope... I hope she wins because we can't help" Quatre searched for any sign of Shanell as were the other two. Duo had caught on to her. The camouflage mechanism was giving a little so he watched her walk towards the doors.  
  
Outside, the aries suits were ramming into the unbreakable door, trying to free a little spot to pry open. Suddenly a huge dent came out of the door, towards the aries.  
  
"What the hell?" one pilot shouted.  
  
Another dent near the first appeared and the two dents were being pounded more. One of the dents broke a little and the aries pilots zipped up to it and began firing into the hole. Shanell barely felt the hits. She backed up a little and raised a huge lazer gun. She fired it and a huge neon green light flew out the hole, melting it bigger, and hit 3 of the aries practically dissolving them. She began to melt the door more with the gun and soon enough she could just rip it with the huge arms on the invisible mobile suit.  
  
"What's doing that? I don't see anything" another Oz soldier yelled.  
  
All of the aries began firing towards the hole and the bullets bounced back. They were hitting something stronger than their weaponry.  
  
"Time to die, now, Oz!" Shanell said through the PA on her suit. The aries pilots searched around for whoever was talking but no one was there.  
  
Shanell hit the thrusters and she went flying towards the aries and hit 5 or 6 of them, knocking them to the ground. She fired her lazer gun once more, blasting all the the falling ones, before all the energy was gone. She dropped the gun and it appeared on the ground. The remaining soldiers saw it laying there. Empty.  
  
"Who dropped that?"  
  
"There must be a troop of enemies in there and a few planes in the sky"  
  
"No! That gun just fell from not to high!" a few Oz pilots said to each other.  
  
The huge invisible machine ran towards the aries and flew up into the air. She landing right on top of an aries, squashing it and part of another flat. The explosion below her hit the camouflage panel, knocking it loose. She appeared in front of the soldiers.  
  
"Is that a... Gundam?" one soldier said. Shanell realized that she was visible and began firing at the remaining soldier with the two tiny vulcan cannons on the head of her mobile suit.  
  
"Yeah!! I think it is! But, I've never seen it before!!?!" another pilot replied. He pulled up a line to their base. "Sir! There's a possible Gundam attack here--" he was hit the the little cannons before the transmission could end.  
  
Now, just one suit remained. It began to flee away to safety, thinking Shanell wouldn't see him.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Shanell hit the thrusters and shot down the final aries midair. Buy that time Strichter, Quatre, and Duo were in the hole Shanell had carved watching her battle. They were all wide eyed.  
  
"Wow." Duo said in an amazed voice. Shanell landed near them and opened the door. She lowered herself down on a rope with a wide peg at the end.  
  
"That was amazing, Shanell!" Quatre said as the 3 of them walked over to her.  
  
"Thanks... Oh, Strichter, sorry about the door." she said.  
  
"That's okay. I mean, after all, you saved my shop, and these two's mobile suits." Strichter replied.  
  
Strichter finished fixing Shanell's suit by dark and she got a new carrier. Good-byes were said and she was off into the night, off to find where her first real mission would soon be.  
  
~~*  
  
Meanwhile, the other pilot still lay in her machine.  
  
"Well, I didn't think it would come to this" she said. The girl hit a panel in the cockpit and the ship started turning and moving. Four appendages unfolded and a head-like object turned and shifted forward. The wings attempted to fold in a little as the huge hollow cylinder snapped into a tunnel in the back. Two other cylinders emerged near what seemed to be shoulders.  
  
A mobile suit.  
  
The pilot stood the suit up and struggled to get it properly walking. She walked it off into the mountains, deep deep into the mountains so no civilian would find her before she could fix the wing and get it flying again.  
  
Little did she know that, behind on the crash site, lay a green covered book with the words Phillipa Khushrenada engraved in gold on the cover. It lay open, face down in the grass with a few pages ripped out. One, which was facing up, contained a picture of a large group of people and the pilot to the far right. Below was the caption  
  
My Family - After Colony 185  
  
~~* Review *~~ 


	2. The Kismet of Strangers

~~* ~~~* ~~* Episode 12: The Kismet of Strangers *~~ *~~~ *~~  
  
The huge white carrier that Shanell had taken flew gently in the Atlantic breeze. Even thought flying at night was quite a task, especially with such a huge cargo, Shanell was confident that she could make it across the ocean to North America before day break. Once there, she would hide the carrier somewhere safe until she received a mission from the colonies.  
  
The giant teal waves whipped around the wind was stronger on the ocean surface. The full moon shone right into the carrier's windshield, making seeing a little harder. There was no sign of the sun over the horizon, luckily. It was getting early. 3AM. Still, Shanell sat with her head held high watching for any sign of anything unusual. But the skies were serene, as always.  
  
~~*  
  
The shinning metal suit fell backwards onto it's behind in the middle of a vast sea of trees, lightly dusted with snow. The morning sun was far from rising over the mountains when the girl jumped down to the snow covered earth from her mobile suit. She walked over to the suit's ankle and hit a lever, shutting the 3 huge doors from which she exited. The girl had ditched her space suit and was covered in a long black jacket and a black hunter hat. She started walking towards her original direction, trudging through through the heavy snow. The moon cast shadows from the trees everywhere giving the area an eerie feel. Every so often the girl would look back, making sure no one was touching her mobile suit. But there never was another soul in sight or near.  
  
~~*  
  
The sun was barely beginning to rise when Shanell caught sight of land. It was only 4:30AM by her clock. She didn't care too much about time zones at this point. The sunrise cast an orange glow across small towns and approaching countrysides.  
  
A half hour or so later, Shanell passed over a huge body of water and was headed for a small mountain range. She looked down and was awe struck. There, on the ground, lay decapitated aries and leo suits! The grass was singed black and a giant dent was bore into a nearby hillside. Smoke still rose from a small fire on an aries suit.  
  
"What happened here?" she asked herself quietly. Up next to the dent were giant ditched and pieces of black and forest metal. "Probably just a battle between the militaries." Shanell just kept flying towards the mountains, in search of a safe base to hide before the sun totally engulfed the valleys.  
  
~~*  
  
The girl walked on into the mountains, through prickly bushes and low branches. Twigs that even just barely touched her stung like bees on her bright pink, numb cheeks. Her bright white pants turned gray as the snow melted from her body heat. The high-calf boots, similar to that of the army's, didn't do much against the wet either. She stopped and looked up into the rising sun for a moment. Then bent over and tucked her pants into her high boots.  
  
"Water-proof leather boots, my ass!" she mumbled as she felt her damp socks. The horrible silence of the wilderness sent a cold shiver down her spine as she listened for any sign of civilization. Anything that could be of help to her.  
  
Miraculously she heard something. A mobile suit carrier! She looked up around the sky, in all directions, for the carrier. Soon enough, it appeared over a mountain top, flying west towards her suit.  
  
~~*  
  
Below her, forests and hills spread for miles, but Shanell noticed something out of place. A little bit ahead lay a mobile suit! It was banged up and was turned off. The snow around it had melted and there were giant footprints leading to it.  
  
"Holy shit! What is that?" Shanell said as she approached it. "It looks like a mobile suit... kinds like mine.." She decided to land and investigate what had happened. She searched for an open spot to land in and found one not too far, just big enough. Shanell gracefully landed the carrier, without hitting any trees. She jumped out of the chair, threw on her jacket, and lowered the ladder to the frozen ground. Down the rickety ladder and towards the suit she went. The snow was quite an obstacle, as Shanell found out, it was making reaching the suit a problem.  
  
~~*  
  
Whats someone doing all the way out here? the girl thought as she saw the carrier landing. The girl made a mad dash towards where her suit was placed. Low branches from trees whipped at her numb limbs and snow found itself into her boots and jacket. Finally, the girl was only hidden from Shanell's view by a single layer of trees.  
  
She slowly crept up behind Shanell, following her every move. The girl pulled a rather large pocket knife out of her jacket pocket and opened it up.  
  
She may not be from Oz, but I can't take that chance she thought.  
  
"Those who have laid eyes on a gundam" the girl said, "shall not live to tell about it" Shanell jumped and let out a yelp. She turned and saw the girl raise the knife high.  
  
"What? A-a-a-a gundam?" Shanell stuttered "You're this thing's pilot? NO!! Don't hurt me!"  
  
"Why shouldn't I? You're then enemy" the girl said, preparing to stab Shanell.  
  
"N-no! I'm not! I-I-I can help you fix this thing up! I'm from the colonies! I'm not from Oz... or the alliance" Shanell explained quickly. The other girl just stared at Shanell, thinking, before she lowered her arm and shut the knife.  
  
"I'll have to trust you, I guess" the girl said, looking up into the eyes of her gundam. She shoved the knife back into her pocket. "I need to get this thing out of here."  
  
"Well, I only have a single suit carrier and..." Shanell said looking back at it. The cargo end was tipping down a little. "But I can get a good mechanic out here in no time."  
  
The other girl gave Shanell a quick blink then looked at the carrier and back at her mobile suit.  
  
Should I trust her word? she thought.  
  
"Does id still work?" Shanell asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"Just asking. Since it does, maybe we can hideout in a thicker section of the woods?" Shanell explained "We could come back and fix it tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah, okay." the girl replied. "You just go start up your carrier, I'll be okay."  
  
As Shanell walked back to her carrier the girl walked to her gundam. She hit the open switch and hopped in. The huge metal doors slammed shut as her seat belt was fastened. Her hands whipped past dozens of buttons, turning the machine on. Al very low roar echoed through the woods and the huge mecha stood up and began walking towards the denser area. The carrier's huge engines busted on as Shanell buckled up and watched meters.  
  
The gundam, glittering silver, black, and forest in the sun, tossed a huge space lazer, 4 beam sabers, and a beam glaive to the side. it folded in it's one able wing and laid down on it's back. The pilot hit all the same buttons, shutting the machine down. She hopped onto the machine's grates and slammed the doors shut. The girl jumped down and ran to the carrier. A set of rickety brown rope stairs hung out the door, awaiting the girl's arrival. She immediately climbed the ladder, pulling it up and shutting the door behind her.  
  
The carrier's interior was a dull gray, but was warm nonetheless. The girl hawked her coat and hat into a small storage closet and made her way to the co-pilot seat.  
  
"Took ya' long enough!" Shanell said to the girl. She just looked out the window as they lifted off above the trees and her mobile suit. "Are you sure you just wanna leave that here?"  
  
"Yes. I don't think many people fly to Canada in the winter anyway... anymore" the girl replied.  
  
Shanell glanced over to the other girl. She looked like an out-of-whack Oz officer. The high, black boots, with white pants tucked into them. An army green shirt, buttoned all the way to the top and tucked in with a black tie, tight, around her neck. What a strange look, for a colonial girl. Her dark mahogany hair stuck up a little from static, but the rest was neatly pulled taut into two braids falling onto her shoulders. And the long, various lengthen bangs hanging in her pea eyes gave her just the final look of a fighter.  
  
"So.. who are you?" Shanell asked, breaking the serene silence.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean? I am a pilot!" the girl snapped back viciously.  
  
"Oh, sorry ... I meant your name" Shanell looked back towards the girl a second time "My name is Shanell."  
  
The other girl stayed silent for a moment as they passed the trashed Oz suits and approached the bay.  
  
"It's not to important, just... call me Pippa, okay?" she said on a wandering voice.  
  
"Pippa, huh? A little on the cheery side, don't ya think?" Shanell chuckled. But the girl, Pippa, didn't answer. "I'm sure there's a good reason."  
  
Pippa looked over at Shanell. Shanell looked so much like a civilian more than a pilot. The blue jeans and denim jacket. Her light colored tank top. The soft look in her golden eyes and curly, sandy colored hair. She just looked too much like a kind hearted sister or friend that you'd have know for years and years.  
  
"So... your really that gundam's pilot?" Shanell asked.  
  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Pippa replied "Are you really that one's pilot?" she said referring to the suit in the cargo.  
  
"How did you know it was a suit?" Shanell asked.  
  
"Intuition."  
  
"Oh, well, in that case, yes. Just fixed it up and headed down from the colonies yesterday" Shanell explained.  
  
"Me too" Pippa said, looking out the side window again, at the now calm ocean. "It was a rough ride here. I was almost hit... then crash landed."  
  
"Oh, wow" Shanell said, remembering her trip to earth. Passing a ship so speedily, almost colliding.  
  
~~*  
  
"The whole troop was destroyed.... by one suit?" said a woman, sitting behind a large desk. Her sorrel hair was tied into buns and wore a fuschia Oz uniform. Lady Une.  
  
"Yes, ma'am! We got a partial transmission from a soldier. They said it might've been a gundam, but it wasn't on any of our records." a soldier stood in front of Une.  
  
"Well, I am sure it has left by now. Send another troop down there. If someone from the colonies is housing enemy mobile suits in that hangar, we must destroy the whole place. Got it?" said Lady Une in an unusually calm voice.  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" said the soldier as she saluted and left.  
  
"It won't be long, gundams, till you are dead and we win the war" Une said to herself.  
  
~~*  
  
It was late afternoon in Germany, and Shanell and Pippa were just arriving. She gently landed the carrier on the asphalt field. Another carrier sat parallel with the cargo door open. It was a double carrier.  
  
Shanell crawled down the ladder and towards the building.  
  
"The mechanic that works here can help you. He'll either come or send come of his top mechanics out" she told Pippa as they neared the other carrier. A low, flat truck carrying a huge object covered in a tarp began driving into the cargo. "I wonder whose that is?"  
  
Out of the break room door came Duo, hands in pockets, walking as usual, totally unaware of Shanell and Pippa. The second Shanell realized who had came outside, her eyes widened and her face turned a little pink.  
  
"Oh! Wow! It's Duo! I thought they had left already!" Shanell said as she hurried up to the carrier Duo was heading for.  
  
"Who? Who is Duo?" Pippa asked as she watched Shanell hurry to the long haired boy.  
  
"DUO! HEY! I'M BACK!!" Shanell yelled at him "I THOUGHT YOU ALREADY LEFT?!"  
  
"Huh? Oh..." Duo noticed Shanell "No, they forgot to attach one of Quatre's vulcan cannon feeders."  
  
Shanell ran up to Duo as he walked up the ramp.  
  
"A-are you two gonna leave soon? I-I was hoping to chat for a while?" Shanell stuttered.  
  
"Oh? Well, I'm not the one whose flyin'. You gotta ask Quatre" Duo replied.  
  
"Oh, thank you!" Shanell jumped off the ramp and began walking to the building "Hurry up, Pippa!"  
  
Pippa hurried up a bit and slowed next to Shanell before they headed to the building.  
  
"Oh, Shanell? Thanks... for the lift" Pippa said quietly "Who was that?" she asked, looking back at Duo.  
  
"Oh! No problem at all! Uh... he's a friend, a mobile suit pilot. His name is Duo Maxwell" Shanell replied, smiling.  
  
They kept walking towards the building. Quatre walked out the door and Shanell waved. Not too far behind was Duo, sneaking as quietly as possible. Quatre saw Duo tell him to be quiet and he did. Pippa noticed Quatre nodding and looked back. She saw Duo touch his finger to his lips and she too nodded. Pippa looked back at Quatre, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Something wrong?" Shanell asked as she noticed Pippa slightly covering her mouth.  
  
"N-no... no problems here" Pippa replied, smirking.  
  
Pippa looked at Quatre, who was about to explode laughing.  
  
"H-hi Shanell! Your back?" Quatre asked to distract Shanell.  
  
"Oh, I just need to see Strichter" Shanell replied.  
  
Slowly, Duo snuck up behind Shanell and jumped up and pounded his feet to the ground as he yelled  
  
"BOO!!!"  
  
Shanell jumped and turned towards Duo. At the same time, a bomb went off in a cluster of trees not too far away. Shanell, Pippa, Duo, and Quatre all jumped and yelled. They looked over into the trees. There stood 15 or so leo suits.  
  
"Oh, No! Leos! Oz is attacking... again!" Shanell shouted.  
  
All of the mechanics heard the bomb and immediately began locking up the doors. They lined up a bunch of scrap mobile suits in front of the hole in the hangar door.  
  
"Hurry! You three go inside! I'll take'em!" Duo shouted as he began running towards his carrier and suit.  
  
Shanell looked back at Duo and few times as Quatre led her and Pippa into the building. They all raced to the windows to watch. Shanell wanted to help so bad but the leos were already to close for her to board her suit.  
  
"Okay! Lets destroy this base!" said an Oz pilot to the others.  
  
Suddenly a flatbed truck went flying out of the single carrier. A flash bomb followed, blinding the leos.  
  
"W-w-w-what is this? I can't see!" a soldier said.  
  
Out of nowhere a huge green flash flew by the leo, slicing it in half. It flew by 3 more leo suits, making them explode. The Gundam Deatscythe appeared.  
  
"I-i-its a gundam!" an Oz officer yelled as he sent an image to his base. Immediately after the gundam shot the leo into pieces with the two vulcan canons on it's head.  
  
"Looks like someone's not gonna please ol' Treize!" Duo taunted the soldiers. The moment Pippa heard Trieze's name her eyes widened and she froze, but no one noticed. Duo swung around only to find 5 leos firing at him, inflicting no damage. HE swung his beam scythe at the leos, slicing all in half.  
  
"C'mon Duo! Your almost done!" Shanell said to herself.  
  
Duo sliced another leo and began shooting down the last 3 leos. Two of them used advanced mobility packs and flew above Duo.  
  
"Oh, so thats your game, huh?" Duo said as she hit the gundam's thrusters, flying up above the leos. He shot down a leo above him and jumped down on top the other, crushing it flat. "That takes care of that!"  
  
"Oh! He won! I'm... so happy!" Shanell said, relieved.  
  
"N-no! No he's not! There were 3 left, he only destroyed 2!" Pippa said quickly.  
  
"But, I don't see any others" Quatre noted.  
  
Realizing this, Shanell scrambled for the PA speaker as Duo headed towards the building.  
  
"Duo! Duo, your not done! There's one more left! hurry up and get it!" Shanell called to him.  
  
"What?" Duo said through his PA "Were is he?"  
  
"We don't know just get your butt out there and kill him before he finds us!" Pippa yelled taking the mike from Shanell.  
  
"Who was that? Never mind! Where is that leo?!" Duo said to himself. He looked all around but there was nothing. finally, Duo pulled up a heat censor image. There, behind the hangar was a leo suit, get ready to fire at a wall.  
  
"No!!" Duo hollered as he dashed towards the hangar.  
  
"Where is he going?" Quatre said as the all watched Duo run near them.  
  
Duo saw the very edge of the leo's main camera and charged towards it. The leo saw Duo and stopped in it's tracks. Duo ran through the hangar and chopped up the leo. The huge black gundam stood in the blazing afternoon sun, surrounded by flames and charred cement. All of the mechanics ran out and began complaining about the hangar. Quatre and Shanell started running towards Duo and yelling his name. The huge gundam sat down and duo jumped out and walked to his friends.  
  
"Wow! Great job, man!" Quatre said, hitting Duo's back.  
  
"Duo, thank you for fighting and.. winning" Shanell said, turning bright pink.  
  
"Oh, shut up! I wasn't that good!" Duo said, whacking Quatre's back and knocking every bit of air out of him. Duo walked over and gave Shanell a 'half-hug'. They both felt awkward, Shanell turned even pinker. Pippa just stood off to the side, looking a little bored and ticked.  
  
"Hey! Whats your problem?" Duo asked Pippa.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I'm just waiting to leave for my mobile suit" Pippa said, looking at Duo.  
  
"Hello?!?! I just saved your life!!" Duo said, turning towards Pippa.  
  
"Yeah, only because of me! Now, Shanell? Can we get a mechanic over to my mobile suit?" Pippa replied walking towards their carrier.  
  
"Well, Pippa. We can't take my carrier. It is only a single. If we're going to fix up your suit, there's not enough room!" said Shanell in a ticked tone.  
  
"Well, Shanell, were do you need to go?" Quatre suggested "We can give you a lift!"  
  
"You can?" Shanell asked.  
  
"Yeah, our carrier can hold up to, like, 6 suits." Duo interrupted, walking towards Shanell, giving Pippa a look.  
  
"Oh, man! Wow! Thank you so so so much! Pippa, you okay with that?" Shanell said happily.  
  
"Yeah, as long as this thing isn't a slug" Pippa replied walking to Quatre and Duo's carrier.  
  
"Okay then" Quatre said.  
  
All four of them headed for the carrier as a few mechanics loaded Shanell's suit onto the carrier. Shanell and Duo sat in the cockpit, talking. Shanell turned bright red as Duo tried to hold it in. Pippa sat looking out a window down to the khaki earth, adjusting her fingertip less gloves. Quatre tried to make conversation but only got the occasional glance from Pippa.  
  
Off into the sunset flew the carrier, chugging along. A small plane followed, carrying the mechanics. Off to Canada, to a hidden spot near a bay, they went, with every worry at mind.  
  
~~* Review *~~ 


	3. The Ingress of Tiers

~~* ~~~* ~~* Episode 13: Ingress of the Tiers *~~ *~~~ *~~  
  
A huge red truck, carrying a huge tarp covered object, flew down a snow covered highway. White forests and vcalleys surrounded by low-lying clouds engulfed the vicinity of the truck. The chain wrapped tires sped faster than they should have been going against the slick black ice. Little snowflakes began to drift towards earth once again.  
  
"Uh-oh, looks like another big storm" said the young woman driving the truck. Her long brown hair lay randomly around her shoulders and back. A slick black jacket covered her from the cold inside of the truck-- even though her heater was in fact on. Her bright blue eyes stayed wide open, searching the snowy fields for any sign of a garage or rest stop.  
  
Suddenly, the engine of the truck ceased to run. The low rumbling of the old machine dulled in volume until it wasn't audible at all. Slowly the truck came to a stop in the middle of the wide road.  
  
"What happened?" said the driver of the stopped truck. She tried top start it up, but nothing evolved from the twist of the key but a weak bark from the engine. The gas tank wasn't empty, and it deffinatley wasn't over heating. "Well, I guess this is what I deserve for picking the 'antique'".  
  
The girl grabbed a second jacket and flung it on, tossing on a hat and a pair of gloves. Out the high door she jumped as she decided to check out the situation.  
  
~~*  
  
Over the huge, frozen bay flew the slow carrier. they had been flying for almost a whole day. Duo stood alert at the wheel, flying as carefully as possible while Shanell lay asleep in the co-pilot chair, held up by only the seatbelt. Quatre lay in his chair, reclined, half asleep. His head nodded up and down as he occasionally drifted off into slumber. But Pippa still sat awake, staring out the window with weary eyes.  
  
"So... ah... what's your suit, exactly?" Duo cautiously asked Pippa to try and make conversation.  
  
"Its a gundam, like I said an hour ago" Pippa said a bit annoyed.  
  
"No, I meant, what do you call it?"  
  
"A name? For a mobile suit? Who do you think I am-- Oz?" she then began speaking in a mocking tone: "Oh, watch out Kitty! You almost got hit by one of OZ's PuppyDog's bombs!"  
  
"Eh... no..." Duo sat silent for a moment. "Mine's called Deathscythe. Sounds cool, huh?"  
  
"I guess so"  
  
"Anyways... are we getting any close to your suit?"  
  
"Kind of... Im not totally sure... A few more miles"  
  
"You said that an hour ago!" Duo said a big loudly, waking Shanell.  
  
"So I miscalculated! So what? You're no Perfect Petey either!" Pippa gave him a rather pissed look.  
  
"Well, good morning to you, too" said Shanell groggily.  
  
"Its noon" Duo smiled.  
  
Hearing the words 'Its noon', Quatre shot awake and tried not to look like he had just woke. Pippa smirked when she saw him sit up so fast.  
  
"Are we almost there, Duo?" Quatre said cheerily.  
  
"Oh look who woke up!" Shanell said just as cheerfully. "Its blondey!"  
  
"So? You were asleep too"  
  
"Well, I'm allowed to fall asleep-- I'm a girl" Shanell retorted.  
  
~~*  
  
The girl walked to the hood of her truck and slowly propped it up. The snowstorm was getting stronger. A nice warm cloud of steam rose from the engine, quickly condensing on the hood and on her face. She pulled out the dipstick from the oil. It was fine. She tightened a few bolts here and there, but that still didn't help.  
  
"What is wrong with this thing?" she said as the hood slammed down. She sat back inside the truck to warm up for a moment before heading back out to resume her search for the troubles with her truck. She jumped out once more to check the engine again. Above her a huge carrier began to fly by. She reached under the hood and yanked as hard as she could and moved her feet a bit to help her lift the hood a little, but....  
  
~~*  
  
The carrier flew over a snow covered highway. Pippa noticed a stalled truck on the road. Someone was trying to lift the hood. Pippa kept watching in interest as she desperatley tried to ignore Quatre's friendliness. Suddenly, the person at the truck slipped and flew halfway under the truck! Pippa couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"What's so funny?" Shanell said as she noticed the person struggling to sit up. "Hey! That suit carrier down there is stalled!" Shanell hit Duo's arm lightly. "C'mon, Duo! Go down there! See if they need help! Its freezing out there!"  
  
"Huh?" Duo said looking down at the truck. "Oh, right." he said as he turned the carrier towards the truck.  
  
"Huh? You're gonna go down there, Duo? What if it's an OZ soldier or something?" Quatre came up behind Duo and Shanell's seats.  
  
"Its not OZ, Quatre! OZ only uses planes!"  
  
~~*  
  
Up from under the truck came the girl, covered in snow. She tried to get up, but the ground was covered in slick ice. Overhead the humongous mobile suit carrier flew past her and began to circle over a vast field, right near the highway.  
  
"Huh? Hey!!" The girl began to yell and wave her arms, sitting up. "Hey!!!"  
  
The carrier just continued to descend, blowing snow in every direction.  
  
~~*  
  
"Okay everyone! Get your jackets! We're gonna go help that person!" Shanell excalimed, putting her own jacket on. Quatre jumped up and handed and black jacket to Duo. He put his own on on the way back to his seat. Pippa was still chuckling as she still looked out the window.  
  
"How can you stand staring out a window for 7 hours straight?" Quatre asked Pippa as he tossed her a jacket.  
  
"Oh, when you have nothing to do, anything is better than staring at you" she said, still looking out the window.  
  
"Hey! That wasn't very n-- Aowh!!" Quatre yelped as he fell off his chair. Pippa immediatley burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. The carrier had, afterall, just landed 30 feet away from the truck on a small hill. The truck's driver had just barely gotten out from under the hill and was rubbing her back while sitting in a pile of snow. Quatre stood up against a window, waiting to get outside and regaining his balance. Duo and Shanell stood and stretched, turning the carrier off. Pippa just stroked a tear from her eye while she finished up her laughter.  
  
"Everybody down and out!" Duo said, opening the door and dropping the folded ladder down into the snow. He climbed down very spedily, Shanell following close behind.  
  
"Hurry up, Pippa! Ladies first!" Quatre announced, waiting for her.  
  
"Then go" Pippa said with a smirk.  
  
"Uh... right..." Quatre said as he climbed down after Shanell had already gotten to the ground.  
  
Pippa hopped up, thew on her jacket, and down the ladder she went. But not before slidding closed the giant metal door to the carrier, leaving the ladder dangling out. AS soon as she was on the ground she ran up to catch up with her friends as fast as the snow would allow her to run.  
  
"Welcome back" Quatre said, waving at Pippa.  
  
"I wonder what had happened to the person who fell under the truck... I guess we'll be finding out, huh?" Shanell said, brushing some snow from her shoulders.  
  
"Yah, maybe he... or she... was trying to work on the engine or somethin'" Duo added.  
  
"No, she slipped and fell" Pippa laughed.  
  
Sitting up in the snow, the girl saw the group of people walking towards her. Her eyes widened as they neared. She brushed away some snow from her head and shoulders and tried to stand as they neared.  
  
"Hey! Can you guys help me?" she said, looking back at her truck.  
  
"Thats why we came, lady" Duo said.  
  
Quatre walked ahead of the group and stretched a hand out for the girl. SHe took his hand with a strong grip and pulled her self up close to him. They both turned the lightest shade of pink before taking a step back.  
  
"Thank you" the girl said a little quietly.  
  
"Oh, no problem!" Quatre said gleefully, as he always was. "My name's Quatre Raberba Winner. What's yours?" The girl smiled a bit and looked into Quatre's teal eyes.  
  
"My name is... Chantal Corello" she said a little nervously.  
  
"What? Wait-- Your last name is Corello?" Duo said alarmingly.  
  
"Yes" Chantal replied even mroe nervously.  
  
"Are you by any chance related to the General Corello from the OZ organization?"  
  
"Maybe... Who's asking?"  
  
"I remember hearing about that guy" Shanell said.  
  
"Yah, I heard he was blood thirsty like nothing you have ever seen" Pippa interupted.  
  
"No..." Chantal whispered, looking at the snowy road.  
  
"Well that mean! Trying to make her feel bad when we've just met her!" Quatre said as he put his hand on Chantal's back. Chantal, in turn, blushed a bit. She tried to move a little ways from him, but ended up slipping and falling backwards! Quatre tried to grab her as she fell, but ended up falling with her.  
  
"What was that!?" Pippa said, cracking up.  
  
"Oh, Shut up, Pippa!" Shanell said, as she helped Quatre and Chantal up.  
  
Duo laughed a little at the sight of Quatre falling. "Never mind... Nevermind I asked if it's gonna make you fall!"  
  
Chantal and Quatre got up safely and she started to explain her dilema. ABout the truck just stopping for no reason and her urgent need to get to the Yukon in 4 days.  
  
"Wow! You're heading the same direction as we are!" Quatre said with joy.  
  
"Well, I'll just take a peak at that engine of yours" Pippa said, pulling her pants up a little and heading towards the truck. She popped the hood open and examined the engine.  
  
"You better hurry" Chantal shivered. "Its getting late and the storm isn't gonna wait for you." Everything around them was covered in a new layer of snow, about an inch or so.  
  
"Is it too bad?" hanell inquired of Pippa as she plopped at hat over her golden locks.  
  
"Yah, your spark plugs are shot... and all 6 batteries is as good as dead anyhow" Pippa hopped down as the hood slammed shut.  
  
"Damn... I really need to get this cargo out of here before--" Chantal stopped herself from talking anymore.  
  
"Before... what?" Quatre inquired.  
  
"Before... uh, well...." Chantal looked around to everyone near her. Shivering SHanell, with Duo's arm around her -- he was trying to warm her -- and Pippa checking her watch. And of course smiling Quatre. "Can I... Can I get a ride with you guys? I'll tell you why once we get started, I promise."  
  
Duo, Shanell and Quatre all gave each other a glance. They wouldn't dare ask Pippa; they knew she would just answer no as fast as she could and in as many language as she could. They all nodded a little.  
  
"Sure, but one question first" Quatre said, carefully placing a hand on Chantal's shoulder. "What is on your truck?"  
  
Everyone, excpet Pippa whow as now sitting on the hood of truck fixing her hat, looked towards the bundle on the bed of the truck. Chantal made a thinking sound and looked like it was that that she was doing. Thinking...  
  
'Should I tell them? They did help me, but then... I also just met them... '  
  
"Well?" Duo asked.  
  
"It's umm... a mobile suit. But I'm not OZ! Dont worry!" Chantal said quickly.  
  
"I think we could fit another suit into our carrier... And I'm sure Pippa's will be fine if she stays with us" Shanell looked at Pippa and shook her head as the braided girl struggled to get her braids into the hat, using various curse words.  
  
"Okay! Lets get movin' before we're all snowmen!" Quatre laughed, heading for the carrier. "I'll lower the ramp-- oh wait! How are we gonna get it in there?"  
  
"We could use my truck." suggested Duo.  
  
"I-I'll go get my suit ready to transfer" Chantal said, starting to walk backwards toward her truck. Pippa hopped off the hood and watched Chantal as she herself went to Shanell.  
  
"Why is she going towads her suit?" Pippa looked at Chantal.  
  
"We're giving her a lift to wherever." Shanell replied.  
  
"What!? We need to get my suit! The carrier's only a 4-suit capacity!"  
  
"Well... I dunno then." Shanell said, walking back to the carrier.  
  
"Oh, well that's just spiffy! Another person to go with" Pippa said sarcastically, heading after Shanell.  
  
Chantal pulled the huge tarp off her mobile suit and tossed it aside. She started pulling a few metal plates from in front of the mobile doll, on the platform, revealing a few rollers to convey the suit on.  
  
Soon enough a huge bang came from the carrier as Duo brought his truck to Chantal. The second story ramp was in place. Shanell watched gleefully from her spot on the ramp, who knows why! Pippa just stood on the other side, arms crossed and glaring at the floor. The carrier's engines reved up as Quatre struggled with the cold weather factor.  
  
As Duo's truck neared Chantal, she pulled a lever that made her suit start being pulled towards the edge of the truck, towards Duo's. While her suit did this, she ran to the cockpit of her truck and grabbed a big black duffel bag. Duo got in place as Chantal's suit dropped onto his truck. He drove back to the carrier and he, Chantal, Pippa and Shanell worked on getting it inside the cargo area and finishing up the job.  
  
"This suit looks just like mine" Duo said as he came up into the passenger area and closed the big door to the carrier.  
  
"Yeah, I wonder if it's a... " Shanell began trailing off, looking at Duo.  
  
"Gundam?" Pippa said loudly. "Yah! Looks like one, thats for sure!"  
  
Chantal slowly made her way into a chair, and reclined it. The engines calmed a bit as Duo took control of the steering wheel. Quatre cae back from the cockpit and sat in a chair next to Chantal, hoping to chat. Pippa sat back in her normal seat as did Shanell. Soon the carrier began to rise and flew towards the mountains.  
  
"So. Chantal! Where are you from?" Quatre cheerfully asked.  
  
Chantal just gave him a tired look and didn't respond.  
  
"Well, I'm from L4. Are you from the colonies?"  
  
Once again, Chantal just gave him a look, then returned to staring at the wall in front of her.  
  
"Oh, tired, huh? Okay" Quatre said, reclining his chair to match taht of Chantal.  
  
Back in the front...  
  
"So, Duo, where are you from?" inquired Shanell.  
  
"Huh? Oh, well, I'm not sure. When I was a kid, the Sweeper Group took me off the streets -- I lived in the alleys before that -- and gave me my Gundam a few months ago. They said I was born on L2, though."  
  
"Oh, wow! I was captured by the Sweeper Group, too! I was trained there for 10 years." Shanell squeeled with excitement to find out they had more in common.  
  
"Small galaxy, I guess"  
  
Pippa looked up from her window at Chantal and Quatre. Chantal was alseep and Quatre was dozing off. She smiled evilly. But that didn't last long. Pippa looked down at Chantal's ankle and there, tied under her pant leg, was a knife. And on her belt was a gun in it's holster.  
  
"Oh-my-gosh!" Shanell!" Pippa jumped up. "Come here!"  
  
"What?" Shanell stood and looked back at Pippa.  
  
"Look!" Pippa pointed at the knife and gun. Shanell gasped.  
  
"What's wrong?" Duo asked.  
  
"This girl has weapons!" Pippa said walking to a closet. She returned with a long rope. Shanell nodded and proceeded to help Pippa tie Chantal to her chair.  
  
"You're tying her up?" Duo asked.  
  
"We can't risk it-- she might be OZ" Pippa finished off the final knot.  
  
"Yah, for once you're right" Duo snickered.  
  
"Oh, ha-ha" sarcastically snorted Pippa.  
  
The carrier soared on and Chantal remained asleep, along with Quatre. Shanell was back to her flirting with Duo and Pippa still found amusement in staring out the window. When the carrier hit a little turbualnce, and Pippa whacked her head on the roof (resulting in letting out a string of curses), Quatre woke with a start. He looked over at Chantal and almost screamed.  
  
"What did you guys do!?" Quatre noticed the carefully tied ropes.  
  
"She had some weapons, we were being precautious." Pippa still stared out the window, searching for her Gundam.  
  
"What did she have?"  
  
"A pretty big knife, and a gun"  
  
Chantal slowly opened her eyes, blinked a few times. And when she felt the tightess on theropes on her arms and her stomach, she shot awake.  
  
"What the-- What did you guys do?!" Chantal asked frantically.  
  
"We tied you up" explained Pippa.  
  
"I know that!!" bursted Chantal.  
  
"Well, Pippa here found a knife and a gun on you, girl" Shanell explained. "We're just being precautious."  
  
"Because you wont tell us if you are related to OZ or not" explained Duo.  
  
"I-I'll tell you everything if you just untie me." Chantal said, looking to the floor.  
  
"Okay. Start from the beginning" Duo said as he still looked for the wrecked mobile suit. Pippa, Shanell and Quatre all looked at Chantal.  
  
"Well....I was borne on earth, and grew up here. My father is ... General Corello.' chantal confessed as everyone gasped. "But recently I have found that I do not like Oz's ways. So I stole a prototype Gundam from my father's base. Then, I stole some guy's truck. Now I've been on the run from Oz for a few months." Chantal said, giving everyone a pleading look. "That's why I have my gun and my knife to protect myself from his little minions."  
  
"Oh Chantal, I'm so sorry for trusting Pippa," Quatre said. Shanell grabbed a knife from her pocket and began cutting away from the rope.  
  
"This doesn't mean I trust you, I'm just gonna give you a chance," Shanell said, cutting away the final strand. Pippa gave Chantal an unsure and cautious look. Duo remained quiet, thinking of all the little remarks he gave to Chantal.  
  
Chantal rubbed her wrists, and put her gun and knife back. She sat her chair back up, Quatre did the same and looked at her sympathetically. She looked so violated.  
  
"Well, don't worry. We are almost to the mountains. The other plane says we're not to far away. They're already starting to fix the circuitry, Pippa. The wing'll take awhile," Duo explained, trying not to sound to abrupt.  
  
"Sure, whatever," Pippa said returning to her window and the freezing glass.  
  
"Chantal? After we pick her mobile suit up, we'll take you wherever you need to go, okay?" Quatre said, laying his hand on hers.  
  
She blushed the tiniest bit as she nodded. "As far away from Oz's Denver base as possible is all I ask you, um....pilot..guy."  
  
"Duo Maxwell," pilot guy told her, "No problem. I know exactly where we could go."  
  
For a few mintues the carrier flew softly over the fields until Shanell noticed the wrecked Aries and Leos. She told Duo that the suit was just over the hill in front of them. He slowly landed the carrier in the same spot as Shanell had. A few of the mechanics met them as Pippa and Shanell, and Duo, crawled down the ladder.  
  
"Do you wanna come outside, Chantal?" Quatre asked quietly.  
  
"I don't know, I'd rather stay in here, if that's okay..."  
  
"Okay, do you me to stay?"  
  
"If you want to, I don't care really," Chantal said looking up at Quatre who was hovering above her. Quatre sat down and shedded his jacket. They just sat in silence from the time being.  
  
"We are almost done repairing the controls for the wings and left arm. Then, all thats left is to reshape that wing," said a deep voiced mechanic to Pippa.  
  
"Thanks. Alot. Just don't screw up? No offense."  
  
"None taken m'am," the mechanic said. All of the guys working were still in the trees. They hadn't moved the mobile suit, Pippa had not problem with that. Duo, Shanell, and Pippa just stood a couple feet away staring at the giant humanoid. It's green eyes were bright, having been turned on. The shoulders and head were covered in snow. That poor wing lay off the suit itself being pounded by a giant machine with a hot iron on the end. It wasn't working too well, the wing being reinforced with Gundanium alloy.  
  
"Impressive suit, Pippa! Four wings! Five beam savers and an army knife and lazer cannon?" Duo said surprised.  
  
"Pretty souped up, huh? But, it has it's disadvantages. Like it needs more fuel then you think," Pippa replied.  
  
"Does it have a camoflauge mechanism?" Shanell asked.  
  
"No, I wish though."  
  
"Mine has an invisible cover. Pretty good for sneaks attacks."  
  
"Sounds cool."  
  
~~*  
  
"Quatre?" Chantal finally said.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Are you by any chance the son of the Winner family that controls like, all the natural resources in outerspace?"  
  
"Yeah, the only boy in my whole family. I disinherented the whole fortune by coming to earth and fighting Oz."  
  
"Wow. I guess freedom is really important to you."  
  
"You too, Chantal! You don't want your father to capture the colonies right?"  
  
"Yeah, I think that Oz is pointless. The alliance, too. I wish Earth still had the Cinq Kingdom and it ruled. Then we would be in this mess."  
  
They sat together in silence again, feeling OK about Chantal's whole predicament.  
  
"Quatre?" Chantal asked again.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Thank you for trusting me. I think you are the only one I can depend on now."  
  
~~*  
  
On the other side of the hill, a long train of huge trucks stopped near the Oz suits. They parked there for the night. Out of a camper, attached to a truck came a tall boy with light brown hair. He walked up to the first truck and talked to someone inside.  
  
"This is where we're staying?" he said in a calm voice.  
  
"Yes, now go rest up! We have a show in two days, Trowa, and you ahve a big act to do," the other man said.  
  
Trowa started walking back to his camper. On the way something caught his eye. Out of the snow coverewd ground stuck the edge of a book. He picked it up and notioced pages scattered around. He picked everything up and headed back. Carefully, Trowa put the pages back. He noticed a page with a picture of a family. Studying all the pages carefully, he looked back at the picture. THe smeared ink caption read "After colony 185" in nice print, but the other caption was too water smeared. Trowa carefully set the book in his small drwaer but kept the picture out. He knew he recognized the older boy in the picture, who was next to a very young girl. Sandy mustard hair and dark blue eyes. But from where?  
  
"Trowa? What's that?" asked a curly haired woman. He looked up at her.  
  
"Nothing, I just found it."  
  
"Well, dinner's on! Better hurry before it gets olds."  
  
Trowa set the picture down and left with the woman. The picture lay face down. On the back of the page, someone had written "For Pippa--I hope you have a great birthday. I'll see you soon. Love, your brother". The name was signed in ink but was smeared from the snow. The date at the top of the note read "October 31, AC 185-Happy 6th!"  
  
~~* Review *~~ 


	4. The Latency of a Coadjutor

~~*~~~*~~* Episode 14: The Latency of a Coadjutor *~~*~~~*~~

  
  
A heavy snow still fell over the relatively small range of mountains. Mechanics in white coats hurried to get Pippa's mobile suit repaired. Duo and Shanell still stood watching from a distance and Pippa walked over to the head mechanic. 

"Are you guys almost done?" she said in a bit of an irritated tone. 

"Yes, just a few more minutes on the wing should do it." 

Pippa walked back to Shanell and Duo, looking back at her suit every so often. 

"How's it goin'?" asked Shanell. 

"They said just a while until it's done" Pippa replied. Duo smiled a little, but it soon faded back into nothing. They all stood quiet for a while, thinking of how to put her suit in the carrier. But the thought that Pippa might just take off on her own came up all too often. Her suit, after all, was a flight model. 

"I think that if my suit is up and in bird mode, it could fit in between Quatre's and Duo's suits." Pippa went over one of the possibilities. 

"That sounds good" Duo said, "Just don't scratch up my suit too bad, okay?" 

"Sure" Pippa said as she headed back to once again check on her suit. 

"Well, one of us has to open up the lower cargo for her" Shanell said, looking back at Duo. 

"And someone has to check on Quatre and Chantal. We might as well both go." Duo took Shanell's hand in his and headed back towards the carrier. "C'mon, you can check on them" 

~~* 

Quatre's eyes were wide after what Chantal had said. And Chantal felt embarrassed. 

"Well... I... Thank you, Chantal" Quatre stuttered, flattered of course. 

"I'm sorry if that sounded really corny or somethin'" Chantal replied, now thinking she sounded desperate fro a companion of any kind. 

"No, it didn't. Don't worry about silly things like that." 

The carrier's door slid open and the ladder fell down as Shanell appeared in the doorway after a few seconds. She climbed up into the carrier and looked at the two. They looked as if she had interrupted something important, or secret. 

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt you two?" Shanell asked. 

"No, no, it's okay!" Quatre smiled. 

"Are you sure? I'm just checkin' in on you two before we head off and it looks like you two were discussing something" 

"He already said it was okay! So either sit or leave" Chantal hissed. 

Shanell gave Chantal a glare then sat in her usual chair. The cargo door burst open and Duo stood in the middle of the opening, waiting for Pippa to bring her suit. 

~~* 

"It's done? Great!" Pippa said, hitting the door switch on her Gundam. "I'll pay you after I get this thing loaded up." 

"Sure thing" said a mechanic. The rope from the cockpit came down and Pippa clung to it. Her numb hands didn't help much with her slippery grip. Once in the cockpit, the two doors in between the huge grates locked shut. Pippa tapped several buttons and the screens lit up. She turned the camera on to locate a good take-off strip. Straight ahead. All of the mechanics moved away as the huge Gundam began to move. Pippa pulled a shift-stick towards herself and immediately after the machine began transforming into it's bird mode as an origami crane would have. The craft's engines glared yellow as it zipped off into the sky. Pippa folded in the wings as she turned back towards the carrier. Looking into a screen that showed what was below her, she saw a huge train of trailers and trucks near the pieces of Leos and Aries she had wiped out. 

"Why are civilians all the way out here?" Pippa thought to herself. 

The giant plane circled back towards the carrier. She began slowing down to land as Duo fled inside the cargo so as not to be crushed by the massive MS. Pippa began slowing more and more, and descending even faster. Before anyone knew it her Gundam was very carefully placed inside the carrier, with feet to spare between Quatre's suit, Duo's suit and her own. Duo hit a panel that lifted the cargo door shut and locked as he and Pippa both ascended back to the passenger area of the carrier, Pippa released a snicker as she sat. 

"What is it this time?" Shanell asked Pippa, referring to her constant teasing and taunting. 

"Oh, nothing" she had a light air to her voice, looking out the window with a smirk on her face.

Duo climbed up the ladder and shut the door with a huge slam. He tossed his black jacket aside and sat in the pilot seat. The engines roared and slowly the carrier began to take flight.

"Oh! You guys'll never guess what I saw!" Pippa piped. "There was a huge train of civilian trucks at that crash site! They looked like they were there to stay, not movin' or nothin'!" She mentioned this becasue it was already 8 pm.

"That reminds me, I'm hungry. Anyone got any food?" Chantal blurted out. Everyone stared at her. "Well, uh... we.. can, uh... stop at that, uh... those trucks?"

"Fine! Thats a great plan!" Shanell clapped her hands together. "And besides, Im hungry too, so lets roll!!"

"Okay then" Duo turned around, seeing as he had absent mindedly passed up their stop and got ready for a tricky landing.

~~*

"Boy, I sure hope it stops snowing soon or we won't make our performance Wednesday." said the curly haired woman, looking out the window as she ate her dinner. The long-banged boy stayed silent, not looking up from his meal. A news program was on the television. The girl looked past her friend to a bed in the corner of their trailer. An injured boy lay there, unconscience under the cold window. "I hope your friend wakes up, Trowa.

"He will. Just give him time, Catherine." Trowa replied, still not looking up.

Catherine looked across the small table at Trowa. He hardly ever spoke to her and when he did, it usually wasn't a kind owrd. He reminded her so much of her younger brother, Triton. Well, not so much the gloomy attitude.

They just sat in silence. Talking was futile anyway, so what was the point of even attempting a conversation?

From outside arose a sound, a loud sound. Like a carrier.

"What in theworld is that?" cather said as she rose and looked out of the window. trowa lookedout the door. It _was_ a carrier. And it was suspiciously low.

~~*

Shanell watched the ground for Duo as they near the train.

"Right over there!" Shanell pointed at a small field near the clutter. Duo saw the field and began descending in it. Out of one of the trailers came someone. They stood out in the cold, lacking a jacket. No one else came out, just peered out of their warm, cozy trailers. Pippa jumped up and put her jacket on, she would be the one to go outside and talk with the people, considering it technically was her idea.

Slowly, the carrier began to touch the white earth. Snow flew in all directions from the craft as it slammed down.

The door slip open and down came Pippa on a lowered rope. She hopped down as she near the ground andbegan walking towards the individual who dared greet her. He walked forward a littleto meet her.

"Hey! Do you have any extra space in there? My friends and I were wondering if we could bunk here for the night and havea little dinner! We're travelers!" Pippa yelled over the carrier's loud engines.

"How many have you got in there" asked the man, Trowa.

"Uhm... theres 5 of us."

"Sure... if you dont mind makeshift beds." He looked like he was in a daze.

"No problem." Pippa smiled at the guy the nstarted back to the carrier as Trowa headed back to his trailer. Pippa hopped on the ropeand up it went.

"Well, what did he say?" Quatre inquired of the newly arrived girl.

"He said all of us but you, blondey." Pippa looked around. "So ya'll get ready. Quatre looked a bit confused as everyone wasgetting their things ready to get out of that god forsaken carrier.

"She was joking, dude" Duo told Quatre, who immediatley blushed a little then went upon his merry way of gather his coat. Duo, once ready, helped Shanell down the rope as Quatre helped Chantal then went himself. Duo hesitatedto let Pippa leave last, thinking she'd Hi-Jack the plane, but she didn't. Shows what he knows!

~~*

"5 others?" Catherine exclaimed in seeing her guests exit the carrier.

"Yeah, we have enough room." Trowa said, opening the door.

"Well, I dont know about that...I mean, your friend here is really hurt." Catherine mentioned as she checked the boy's pulse. 'Wow! Finally! Some kindness!' Catherine thought about Trowa's actions.

Outside, Pippa walked far ahead of her companions. Shanell, cold for a reason, leached onto Duo's side. Chantal and Quatre walked side by side, next to Shanell. Through the dark and snow they could jus tabrely make out people peeking out their windows at them.

"I hope they have somethin' good to eat, like pizza' Chantal said abruptly.

"Yeah... or minestrone soup." Quatre added.

Up ahead, Pippa slip-slid a little bit on a patch of hidden ice.

"Hey, you guys better wa--" Pippa stopped calling to her friends when she realized what fun this would be. She grinned and evil grin.

"What?" Dup called at her.

"Oh, nothing, just talking to myself" replied a chortling Pippa.

Onward they walked towards the trailer, but not without a conflight, as always. Chantal slowly walked after Pippa, but was still having a little trouble.

"This ground feels a little.. frictionless" she said, looking down. Chantal took one step forward and -poof!- she was on the ground. 

"Chantal!"Quatre said, coming to her rescue.

"HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!" laughed Pippa at seeing Chantal.

"Oh, shut up, Pippa!!" Shanell snarled at Pippa, then said softly to Chantal: "Are you allright?" Chantal gave Shanell a look and had Quatre help her up. Galfway, Chantal slipped just a little...

"Eaph!" yelped Quatre with a thud. Chantal landed on him, falling to the ice again.

"Hahahahahahahhahah! Thats great!" Pippa cheered.

"Owwh.." Chantal said, seeing Quatre laying face down.

"Faceplant, Quatre? You okay, man?" Duo helped them up.

"Thank you" said a grateful Quatre. "Yeah, thanks" snorted Chantal.

Shanell took Duo's arm once again and they walked on. Their walk was peaceful, full of gaity, until they reached another hidden patch of ice Pippa hadn't mentioned. Shanell decided to take littlesteps to avoid falling. But that failed. Shanell hit a rathr slick spot and let out al oud scream and she grabbed onto Duo's arm for support. To their dismay, Duo collapsed also. With a girlish scream of his own, might I add.

"Oh, are you alright?" asked a concerened Quatre, sliding over towards the tumbled two.

"We will be if you help us up!" Duo blurted. Quatre reached for Duo and tugged him up, then tugging Shanell up. What a talent. Chantal glanced back for just a moment, as she had continues forth. Pippa was already at the trailer and Chantal would be soon.

"Hey! Pippa! Wait up!" Shanell hollared, brushing her clothes off.

Pippa stopped in her tracks, but didnt turn to see where her friends were. Slowly Duo and Shanell got started walked with Quatre. Chantal had stopped and turned to watch her accomplises. Eventually, they all caught up with Pippa, soar back and butts.

"What took you guys? Your _trip_ last a little longer than planned? chuckled Pippa heading inside.

"Why didnt you tell us about the ice??" demanded Chantal.

"Didn't feel like it." Pippa simply stated.

"Well, gee, thanks." Duo said sarcastically.

At the small, raised door stood a tall woman wear a loose yellow sweater. Her eyes were a sweet purple and her hair was curly and auburn. She held thet hin aluminum door open as Pippa, Chantal, Shanell, QuatreandDuo kicked tehsnow from their feet and gratefully walked into the warm dwelling.

"Hi! Hello! Welcome!" she said as they came in, shutting the door after the guests. The boy Pippa had talked to was nowhere in sight.

"Yeah.. hi..." said Pippa mindlessly.

"Oh, thank you so much for letting us stay here on uch short notice and this place being so small and--" Quatre shook her hand several times.

"Thanks is all I needed." she smiled, half recognizing the blonde man.  
"Oh yeah, thank you!" chimed Shanell. "Thanks" Duo said.

Chantal just strolled in and stopped next to Quatre. "Thanks" she muttered. Pippa jumped over and onto the couch, watching the old TV. Duo and Shanell walked around the couch and sat far from Pippa as they could on the small couch.

"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself!" exclaimed Quatre. In the other room, Trowa had been gathering blankets, and heard their arrival. At hearing Quatre, she dropped the blankets onto a bed.

"Oh no. Not him." he said to himself.

"My name is Quatre Raberba Winner. Its nice to meet you... eh...?" he pulled off his coat and hung it on a coat tree. Chantal followed, dropped melted snow everywhere.

"My name is Catherine Bloom." Catherine smiled at the polite boy. "You can have a seat at the table, dinner is almost done."

"Thank you" Quatre sat. Chantal followed him and sat at the small, four chaired table, not speaking to their hostess.

"You three can join them, you know" Catherine said to those at the TV. The three heads perked up and looked back at her.

"Yeeaa! Thanks, lady!" Duo yelped, hoping back to the table and a chair right next to Quatre.

"Already? Thank you, uh..." Shanell walked around the couch and joined the trio at the table.

"Catherine" she said looked back at the couch at the lone brunette head. "Aren't you gonna eat?"

"Huhn? Oh, I will... not hungry right now, Cathy." Pippa said loud and clear.

"Catherine is fine."

"Okay, its your name." Pippa slouched down in the cushions, looking up at the ceiling, thinking.

The rest weresitting up straight, neat and carefully. Their elbows to their sides, their napkins on their laps. Well, except Duo, who was trying to make Shanell laugh by putting it on his head and making jokes about. Chantal looked at him disgusted, but in reality, she was holding back a smile. Soon, Duo challenged Shanell to a thumb war. She accepted. Chantal and Quatre watched them fight it out, with Shanell the victorand Duo pleading for a rematch.

"So wheres you're little boyfriend, Cath? That guy who was outside." said Pippa to Catherine.

"Please call me Catherine.." she corrected the girl. "You mean Trowa? He's getting linens for you five."

"Trowa? Trowa Barton?" perked up Quatre.

"Yes.. you know him?"

"Yes! Of course I do!" he popped up. "Can I see him?"

"When he comes out ya can, darlin'" she winked at Quatre. Quatre looked stunned at Catherine and he sat.

Everyone sat silent for a moment. A light racket rose from the kitchen as Catherine served up their meals, they were all cheering from hunger. In the other room, Trowa had all the blankets and sheets and pillows for his guests piled up on a bed. He was itting nowat a dsek, holding a small book in his hands. He was reading it once again.

"Whoever wrote this was young, but knew all about the colony's plans... and OZ" Trowa whispered to himself. All of the sudden, thedoorto Trowa's little room swung open violently, hitting a tableand shaking a lamp. Trowa shoved the little book under the blankets swiftly before his visitor couldsee.

"Ooh, sorry, Trowa? But ya got a call from the colonies..." Pippa said a bit loudly. She had answered the phone and knew the importance of it, having recieveda few of these calls before.

"Hnn?" Trowa stood up and walked past the girl to the TV room to answer the call.

"Hello, Trowa! Long time no see!" Quatre exclaimed at seeing the lean boy.

"So thats Trowa, hnn Quatre?" Duo mentioned. Trowa just ignored the two and picked up a little black phone.

"Yes? ... Tonight? ... Yes, yes I will" he hung up. Right at that moment, a small rigning sound came from somewhere in the kitchen. A cell phone. Everyone looked at Shanell, who was ringing.

"Oh! Thats me! Haha..." she reached into her pocket and pulled out her little cell phone and picked up the call. "Hello? ... Yeah... Yeah-- what? Right now?" Shanell glanced aroundat all the people looking at her. Two more cell phones went off one after another. Pippa and Chantal now. Chantal took her call in the bathroom andPippa just stayed in the hallway. Quatre, Duo and Catherine all looked at the chatting girls.

"No fair! They get cell phones!" Duo complained.

"Dont complain, Duo." Quatre took a sip of his tea. Duo looked aroundthe room kind of angrily nad noticed the small bed in the corner of the room.

"Hey! Whats with the bed?" he asked.

Catherine began to reply: "There's some--"

"Hey, I gotta fly! And I need the keys, now" Pippa tossed her phone back in her pocket and reach towards Duo for the keys. He handed them over wearily.

"Me too" said both Shanell andChantal, grabbing their jackets.

"Where ae you all going?" Quatre inquired. Chantal turned to face him.

"We all got missions, I guess. Maybe you should check if you got one."

"Okay! Come on Duo!" Quatre said to the braided man. Duo looked at him, as he had been spacing out. "Whuh?"

"Wegotta check our transmissions." Quatre got up and grabbed his coat and Duo followed and turned to Catherine. "Sorry, Vatherine, we gotta leave. See ya later!" He ran out the door with Quatre in tow.

"Bye bye! Dont be out too late!" Catherine replied.

"See ya" Pippa said hopping out the door. Chantal was ahead of her, with Quatre. trowa emerged spedily from the bedroom, coat in hand.

"Catherine, I'll be back later." he said, slamming the door behind him.

"Bye Trowa..." she said to herself.

~~*

The carrier's cargo doors slowly opened. Pippa ran into the carrier, towards her suit. Shanell and Duo walked up the ramp togetherand split when they reached the staircase-- Shanell went up and Duo went straight to his Gundam. Chantal dashed after Pippa, with her hand over her eyes. Quatre just kept the Carrier to a dull roar.

"Hurry up! We gotta get to Chicago! Get them Oz-ies dead!" Pippa jumped in her suit.

"Yeah" said pretty much everyone else.

Upon the balcony-cargo, Shanell was allready in her Gundam, ready to go. She needed to Quatreto lower the ramp so she could take off.

Down below, Duo started up his mobile suit and lo and behold, he had the same mission as the girls.

"Okay, Im gonna lower the top level first. Chantal, Shanell, are you ready to go?" Quatre said from the cockpit.

"Yeah" Shanell ok'd him.

"Uhm... I dont know if I should..." Chantal said, sitting in her mobile suit.

"C'mon, Chantal! Dont be scared now!" Quatre exclaimed.

Chantal sighed. "Okay."

The gian grate blocking the second level slowly slid down, blocking the first level. Shanell's suit rolled slowly on a conveyer belt towards the outside. Chantals soon followed on a separate conveyer. In the foggy night, the huge blue and black landed in the snow. Its glowing green eyes were all that could be seen. Right next to it, another humanoid dropped to its feet. Its glowing eyes lit up brighter and turned to the other set. 

"Okay, Quatre! We're heading off" Shanell said through a transmitter.

"We'll catch up" Quatre said calmly.

First, Shanell, in her giant suit, jammed down a pedal, pulled al eveer and the suit jumped up, itsrockets lettinmg it hover. The arms and legs spun 180 degress and folded together. Two Giant blue wings flattened and its head turned and shifted int oa hiding place provided.

A flight model. It's long, masculine wings shifted and it ascended. The great triangular mech hovered high in the air.

With a bit of a sigh, Chantal jammed down the same petal and hit a button and her bright blue suit turned completely over. The two folded wings on it's back twisted and flatened onto its stomach area. Its legs and arms folded togetherand hid themselves under the wings.

Anotherflight model. yet, this one darted forward, past Shanell, into the fog.

"Hey! Wait up!" Shanell pulled up a video transmission with Chantal.

"Okay, are you two ready?" Quatre loewred the lower gate so the other two could set off.

"Yes" Pippa snorted.

"Are you coming?" Duo asked Quatre.

"Yeah, after you two leave. I'll head out... somehow.." Quatre said as the other two were ready to take off. Ever so carefully, Pippa flew backwards out the cargo door. Againt the snow, Pippa's black aircraft wa way too visible.

"Duo? You got got a flight model?" she asked him. SHe pulled upa video screen on the same frequency as Duo, Shanell and Chantal.  
"No... Im probably just gonna walk it. Dont wanna waste fuel trying to fly." he replied.

"Duo! You have to hurry up!" Shanell said to him. "Just fly with Pippa!"

"What?!" Pippa yelled.

"He can just hold onto that bar on the bottom! Easy!"

"Okay... lets do this" Duo said to Shanell. "Dot drop me, Pippa"

"Right-e-o" Pippa said, hovering above Duo now. The Gundam Deathscythe had exited the carrier and was stadning below her now. Its giant arm reached up and latched onto a long metal bar on the undersite of Pippa's Gundam.

"Goodbye!" Quatre said on a audio transmission to them. Pippa sped off as he did. Quatre shut the cargo doors and started flying the carrier after the four.

"Hey! Duo! How far back are you?" through the video connection, Shanell asked.

"My radar says two miles." he replied.

"What about Quatre?" Chantal sounded concerned.

"He's headin' up the rear" Pippa laughed.

"Thats sick" Chantal commented.

"Anytime" Pippa smiled."Okay, Duo! Better make sure that suit is on nice and tight" she said to him. 

"Why?" Duo held the control tight. The plane-Gundam carrying Duo sped off at t\at least twice its original speed to catch up. The dangling mobile suit brushed the tips of trees amd snow covered hills, almost falling a few times.

Shanell glanced out a window and saw the two mobile suits coming up at an alarming pace. Pippa's suit began braking and slowed down just ahead of Shanell's. 'No wonder she crashed' thought Shanell.

"Hi, Shanell!" Duo called to her. "How close are we now?"

"About 100 miles, not far. We should be there by 9:45.--Hey! Whats that!?" Shanell saw something on her radar not far from them. There was another plane flying not to ofar ahead, but it was alone.

"Thats not Quatre, is it?" Duo asked.

"No..Its someone else..." Shanell replied.

"And I think I know who." Pippa said, turnin her ship and speeding towards the unidentified object. She began adjusting her radio frequency to find that of the craft's.

"Who, Pippa?" Chantal said over the video.

"Just..I'll catch up" Pippa turned off the video and talked into the radio. "Hello? Hello?? Carrier, please Identify yourself"

"Man that is one high speed carrier" Shanell commented, watching the dot on the radar. "I hope he ain't OZ." Her radio cracked a little. "Hello? Who are You?"

"Chantal, did you get that?" Shanell asked of the girl.

"Yeah, I think that was the other carrier-- radio the others." Chantal said, then picking up the line again she replied to the mystery man. "Carrier, identify yourself."

"Im jus transporting goods. Why are you in a mobile suit?" the carrier replied. Pippa and Duo picked up the conversation and recognized the voice immediatley.

"I know that voice!" Pippa exclaimed.

"Then who is it??!?" Shanell was aggrivated by Pippa.

Out of the blue, Quatre joined in on the radio frequency."Chantal? Shanell?Duo?..Pippa. Are you there?" he called. Someone new picked up his call.

"Quatre? Is that you?" said the carrier.

"Trowa! What--" Quatre exclaimed.

"Are these your friends, with the mobilesuits."

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I knew it, I knew it!" sang Pippa. "It was Trowa! Hey, Trowa!" she called to the long banged man.

"What?" Trowa said.

"Are you a moile suit pilot, too?" she asked.

"Yes"

"I think we're all on the same mission" noted Shanell.

"Well, duh" retorted Pippa. She pulled her suit away from Trowa and sped up next to Chantal, Duo dangling for dear life. The quartet of mobile suitsand their accompanying carier flew off into the dense fog with Quatre a bit far behind.

"Only 20 more miles" Shanell broke the serine silence.

  
  
~~* Review *~~ 


	5. Awakening and Demise

~~*~~~*~~* Episode 15: Awakening and Demise *~~*~~~*~~

  
  
Catherine strolled over to the boy in the bed. The cold window radiated onto her skin, cold cold air. the poor guy. But all didn't seem so poor-- the boy began to move and his eyes twitched.

"Oh my!!" Catherine gasped. She rushed back to the bedroom to fetch more blankets. When she came back he had turned way from the freezing window. "Are you okay?"

"Mmph" he replied.

Oh.. okay. She tossed the blankets over him then looked at his face. His Prussian blue eyes were open. He examined Catherine and the blankets. He tried his hardest to put a blanket over his head, all but one eye to peer around with.

"What am I" he attempted to talk.

"Pardon?" Catherine politely asked.

"WHERE AM I??...is what I said."

"You're in mine and Trowa's trailer, in a traveling circus. Whats your name?"

"Hrrrmphg" his muffled voice said.

"Excuse me?"

"HEERO, dammit!" the boy yelled in a quiet, angry voice. He looked at the clock, 9:30pm. The calender read a month passed since he last remembered. Heero rolled overand stared out the foggy window.

"Sorry, Heero. My name is Catherine."

"Nmphm.." his deep voice rumbled.

Catherine gave Heero another blanket and went to the kitchen. She grabbed a plate and a bowl. "Would you like some dinner?"

"Yah."

~~*

"Hey! Look ahead!" Chantal called to everyone over the radio.

"We're here?" Duo said in almost disbelief.

"Duh" Pippa snorted.

"It's already 10! Lets hurry up!" yawned Shanell.

"Now, dont fall asleep on us" Quatre poked fun.

"I wont"

"Are you still alive, Trowa?" Quatre radioed him, jokingly.

"Yes." Trowa replied in a monotone voice.

Right ahead of the four suits was a giant building with lights lit up all over. An OZ base. There were no visible Leos or Aries. Perfect.

"Everybody is asleep, no guards." Duo noticed.

"Yeah... we need to get a plan, though" Chantal said.

"Of course" Pippa sighed. "Lets stop here." Pippa began descended abruptly. Soon the other did as she did, after a few rude little comments were made.

"I still think we should just free-for-all" Pippa said after they had all exited their suits and sat around an old picnic table.

"No no no, we needa formation! We can surround and destroy" Shanell commented.

"Those are both good ideas, ladies. But I have a better one." Trowa spoke up. HE was propped against a tree, watching them with folded arms. "Combine them."

"What?" Pippa and Shanell both said at the man.

"Oh, I get it... I see what your saying, Trowa" Chantal blanky said, watching still the sky for Quatre.

"So, what you're saying, Trowa, is that we can utilize both air and land suits with an ambush post a straight on air attack?" Duo sounded very intelligent.

"Us three, Quatre, you and me will head out after the air attack and ambush them. They wont see us if we distract them with the girls. You ladies will have to decide how youre goingto work out your part." Trowa looked over at the three, who were looking at him now.

"Okay! Come on you two-- we gotta plot and fast!" Shanell said as she grabbed the other two females and brought them away from the guys to plot.

"Shouldn't we let them in on our plans?" Chantal asked, referring to the guys.

"Nah, they'll figure it out on their own." Pippa ripped her arm from Shanell's grasp, glaring at the curly haired blonde.

~~*

"Here, Heero" Catherine smiled as she set a little table near to Heero's bed. She brought a tray cautiously over to him. "Pizza and green tea and a nice, healthy salad."

"Thanks" muttered Heero, sitting up as best he could. How long _had_ he been out? A month? A year? Maybe a week? Heero glanced over his shoulder at the food Catherine had left. It looked good.

"Is..everything ok?" Catherine asked, still looming near the table.

"Im fine."

"Then eat up! You need to get better fast!" Catherine waltzed away and Heero watched the brunette leave. Once he was gone, he let out a slow sigh, turned and grabbed his fork. He held it tight in his fist, drinking the tea from the delicate cup. He slowly wedged the fork int othe piza and tok a bite. Not bad.

~~*

"Right, so we split up, bomb the suit hangar, then prepare for possible retaliation?" Chantal went over the plan.

"Yeah" Shanell replied. She glanced at the watch on sleeping Pippa's wrist. 11o'clock. "We better get going."

"Okay, Ill go tell the guys. You wake _it_ up." Chantal said and she started walking towards her male companions.

Shanell looked at the Japanese girl and took a deep breath. "PIPPA! WAKE YOUR LAZY ASS UP!!!!!" She yelled louder than loud.

Pippa's eyes shot wide open and she stood up, saluting Shanell. "Yes, Fa--" she began to say until she realized who she was saluting exactly. "Oh... what the helll did you wake me up for!?"

"We're leaving now"

"What? You guys attacked without me!?"

"Yes, now come on" Shanell said sarcastically. Pippa glared at her as they both left for their suits.

"Okay, time to go, guys! Remember! After we go, you follow up!" Chantal was perky.

"Well, okay, I guess.. we.. uhm... uh.. nevermind." Duo stuttered.

"What?"

"Nothing..." Duo muttered, standing up. Trowa did the same as did Quatre, who had just arrived not 20 minutes ago. Everyone stretched a little and boarded their mobile suits.

"See ya later" Chantal said to Quatre.

"You too" he replied, smiling that wonderful smile of his.

Slowly but surely the very quiet sound of engines rose. The six giant mechas grouped off and headed where they needed to be.

"Lets go!" Howled Duo.

"Okay" said Trowa.

One by one, the 3 flight Gundams took to the sky. Pippadarted left of the base, Chantal to the right and Shanell headed straight at the main building.

"C'mon guys" Duo saidm heading up the three ground models. The yall walked in opposite directions. Trowa to his left, Quatre to his right and, you guessed it, Duo forwards.

"On the count of 3..."Chantal told the other two girls over a vid link.

"Then count already" Pippa snapped.

"1..." they grabbed their acceleraters.

"2...." They got ready. 

"3!" The three planes jetted off at half speed each, faster than befor, leaving a green, blue and read streak behind. A long silver cylinder emerged at the front of Pippa's suit. In its hollow center a glowing green orb grew. She darted around the buildings, eventually heading towards the arms hangar.

"Check" she said to the others, signaling she was ready.

Chantal blasted forwars towards another hangar, labeled as "2" and hovered near it. out of the two wings of her mobile suit came two heavy rifles. They turned and aimed down towards the hangar. The two opening glowed blue. "Check.

"Just...a...minute..."Shanell said, hitting various buttons. Her craft circled the "3" hanger. Just as with Pippa and Chantal, three guns emerged from her suits outer casing, glowing bright red."Check!"

"On three! 1.2.3!" Said Chantal. Cimultaneously, the 3 guns fired. A humongous explosion of fire and debree flew up at the retreating suits. It lit up the night sky for miles.

"Yes!" Shanell shouted.

"We did it!" cheered Chantal.

"Oh, we're not done yet" Pippa's suit turn around to face the base.

Yelling. Screaming. Blinking lights. Screeching sirens. The OZ base was in a state of chaos when a huge door on the ground swung up and open.

"What the hell!?" Shanell shouted.

"Those are the minutemen."Chantal explained, circling up and around, gettingready to fight.

Several huge explosions arupted on a watch tower. nother gundam. He was firing at the buildings around. From the opposite direction, a giant green scythe sliced through a metal garage, hitting a lone leo firing up at him. And ,across the whole mess, two giant metal sicles sliced through two low buildings. Soldier dorms.

"Its them" Shanell was glad they arrived.

At least thirty leo suits marched up from under ground, firing madly at the invading suits.

"Hurry up and get to the entrance!" Duo shouted through his PA system. Shanell turned her suit and pulled a lever, hiting a pedal on the floor. The gian mech landed on its two feet, turning humanoid once again. Its wings folded back into themselves. Its head appears from its chest, decorated with razors and sparkling green eyes.

"What the-- theres 5 of them!" yelled an OZ officer.

"6, you idiot! Get moving!!" called another.

"No, 5, sir! OZ's test dummy is out there! But why is out he--AHHHGGG!!!" the leo exploded.

"No fight for you!" Shanell cackledand she shot that and other leos down. She slammed her fist down on a giant green button and her gundam faded out from view. Thermoptics. Shanell walked over near the opening of the leo's underground base andbegan firing wildly in, firing her huge lazer cannon down at them.

Chantal flew over to the opposite side of the base, a dark deserted corner. She pulled on a shifter and her suit changed back to its humanoid form. Only the bright green eyes and camera were visible in the black of night.

"Chantal, what are you doing over there?" Pippa said to her over the vid, shooting some loose leos down.

"There are some minutmen over here somewhere... but I cant see them..." she replied. "Ive been here before..."

"Kay, hope your right" Pippa flew away.

From thin air, as it seemed, came round after round of bullets, hitting unsuspected leos. Any suit who was lucky enoughto escape didnt last too much longer, being either subdued by a single swipe of Duo's scythe or Trowa's incessant fire. Every now and the na shot woul hit Shanell, not even a dent was made.

"Hey, where's Chantal?" asked Quatre,who was checking out all his accomplise's conditions.

"She's on the west strip" Pippa told him, flying across the whole base to finish off more building and leos.

"Thanks" Quatre headed westward.

"Damn" Shanell muttered, realizing she was out of fuel for her beam rifles. The giant metallic arm of her Gundam dropped the useless piece of machinery, it appearing on the ground below, baffling onlooking leos.

"Where did that come from??" said an escaped leo. It immediatley began firing at the area above the dropped rifle. He hit something to his amazement. But there was nothing there... The lone soldier fired and fired until he was bombarded by bullets from the invisible object.

"Damn him" Shanell said as she saw the camoflauge mechanism on her suit give a little.

"You okay" Duo asked.

"Good as ever" Shanell replied. She began aproaching the thin trickle of enemies with a beam sabre at hand. As the giant white arm rose above the leos to give them a nice swift slice, something hit her. Strong. A bomb from a leo with a missle launcher. Her camoflauge had totally faded.

"Hey, watch out!" Trowa shot the leo that hit Shanell. It immediatley exploded, hitting her suit.

Across the base, Chantal sensed the aries approaching. They werent on radar yet, but she knew they were there. The suit began to shake just the tiniest bit.

"Chantal, I'll help you" Quatre told her as his giant gundam approached hers.

"What?? Well, hurry up and hide! They're almost here!"

"Who?" Quatre asked.

"Minutemen... Aries..."

The ground began rumbling a little more and a trap door opened in front of the two Gundams. Aries began flying out in trios. As they did so, Chantal and Quatre fired at them, knocking most of them out of the sky to crash to the earth before they even got a glimpse of they're killers.

"They're coming too fast!" Chantal said, struggling to keep up her firing pace. She grabbed a huge beam glaive and turned it on She swung att he aries, her aim much better now than with her rifles. Quatre whipped out his two giant crushers and began chopping away at the airborne enemies. Only a few escaped towards Shanell, Duo and Trowa.

"Three more??"One OZ pilot said.

"Who cares! Just fire at them!" another shouted. Thousand of the small bullets went flying from he aries' rifles, plenty hitting Shanell. More than the others.

"Aah!" She screamed as she realized they were hitting a weak spot in her suit. Shanell turned and began firing at the aries. Trowa and Duo finished most of the leos off and began helping with the aries, more than before, flooding in towards the three. Trowa, almost out of ammo, whipped out his army knife and did his best.

"Get the hell away!!" Duo yelled at the aries. Trowa ran towards where the aries were coming from leaving Shanell and Duo alone to fight.

Wit hevery shot, Shanell's defense weakened. her beam sabre was shot from her hand and went flying behind her. Finally, one of the attacking aries remained. Out of ammo and out of luck, Shanell prayed for Duo to do this right. The lone aries, avoiding Duo's shots, launched a large bomb at Shanell, the closer of the two suits. It hit dead on the mark.

"Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" Shanell screamed. Her whole body flung forward and hit the main control panel. Her head hit the screen, smashing the glass to pieces. Shards flew everywhere, ripping into her body. She was knocked unconscience. The only thing keeping her from dropping was he seat belt, which was unusually loose. Her limp hand fell onto the emergency release button, turning the machine off. The metal doors ahead of her flung open and her legs fell forward, dangling. The blast left the suit on its hands and knees. Dead.

After Chantal and Quatre's attacks, there were but 5 aries left, who retreat into the distance as fast as they could. All theleos had been demolished long ago.

"NOOO! DAMMIT!!" Duo yelled, seeing Shanell's dead suit and her legs dangling from inside. He pounded on the dash of his suit. "Pippa! Get over here! I need your suit!!" He yelled through a video.

"What??" Pippa asked, flying over to the two suit. "Oh my hol--"

"Hurry up!!!" Duo said, jumping to the ground from his cockpit. Pippa hopped out and ran to him. She told him some codes and Duo told her what happened. He boarde the giant black mech and flew off into the night, after the escaped aries that had done this to Shanell.

"Hey! Trowa! Come help me!" Duo told the man.

"What?" Trowa watched as Duo flew by.

"Just hurry up"

Trowa began running after Duo, and jumped with all his suits might and grabbed onto the bar beneath Pippa's suit.

"Hey! Where are you..." Quatre tried to talk to Duo through radio, but couldnt find the frequency. "Chantal, do you know where they went?" 

"Do I wanna know?" she sniggered, then looked serious. " I have no idea.."

Out from the opposite direction some came runing towards the two giant suits. Both Quatre and Chantal zeroed in on the person, Pippa.

"Hey! You guys! Hurry up and help me! Shanell's, like, dead!" she yelled up at the mechs.

"What??" Quatre was alarmed. His face turned worried and he clenched his fists around the controls of his Gundam. He ran towards where Shanell was. Pippa ran over and hopped onto a joint guard on the giant blue foot of Chantal's mech. They followed him. Up, in a charred spot of cement, sat Shanell's suit. It was scarred, black and brown around the edges. Boy is that Gundanium Alloy strong! Quatre had already hopped out of his suit and was running to the open spot under the fallen metal man.

"Chantal, let me off on top of her suit" Pippa said, Chantal's suit picked up her voice.

"On top?" Chantal asked. When they neared the suit, Chantal lifted teh foot of her Gundam up above the back of Shanell's downed suit, letting Pippa jump off onto a wing plate.

"Quatre! How bad is she??" She hollared down at the man.

"Bad" he replied loudly. The tip of his shiny brown shoes were splattered wit ha few drops of blood before he moved them out of the way. He looked up at her limp body, worried. Chantal stopped her suit right next to Quatre's and hopped out. She ran up next to him adn examined her friend.

"Pippa, hurry!" Quatre called up at her. She climbed skillfully around to the front of the giant suit, holdiing onto anything she could find.

"Oh my god-- Pippa, be careful!" Chantal yelled. "Shes nuts" she whispered to Quatre.

"Yes, but thats a good thing now" Quatre replied.

Once inside the cockpit, Pippa was perched on the side of the control panel. She unlocked the rope and tossed it down. "Hey! Qu-- uh, Chantal! Climb up and help me!"

"Okay!" Chantal said, removing a pair of gloves she had been wearing, tossing them to the ground. She grasped the rope between her hands and gradually began to scale the rope. When Chantal wasnt to ofar off, Pippa slowly undid the seat belt holding Shanell in and held on tight to the limp girl while Chantal got in position to help.

"Ready?" Pippa asked. Chantal nodded, "Yeah."

Pippa turned and grabbed the rope opposite of Chantal. She slid Shanell down onto their shoulders and began systematicalyl descending. Quatre ran and steadied the rope for them as they neared the ground. He grabbed Shanell's legs and helps hold her up while they dismounted.

"Oh, man, how are you gonna get her to a hospital?" asked Pippa, sitting on the ground next to Chantal and above Shanell.

"I dont even know of one near to here."

"we coulkd fly your suit and say its a personal carrier" Quatre suggested.

"Yeah, but mine shows up as an OZ craft on radar." Chantal explained.

"Great! We're stranded!" Pippa complained.

"Shes gonna get hypothermia at this rate" Quatre looked down at the fainted girl in Chantal and Pippa's arms.

"Im already cold" Pippa snickered sarcastically.

"And our coats are in the carrier...5 miles away."

"Oh, shi-- oot! Duo has my cra--coat!!" Pippa burst. She saw the queer looks Chantal and Quatre were giving her and she shut up.

Pippa looked over at the other two, shivering as they were. Quatre moved across and sat next to Chantal for warmth. Pippa scooted away.

"And you both know what we have to do to keep her warm.." Chantal smirked at Pippa. 

"Yeah... and you're not cold, Pippa." Quatre noted, giggling.

After a few seconds, Pippa caught on to what they were saying. "Oh-ho, no way! No way in freaking hell!!"

~~*

Duo still had his foot jammed down on the pedal of the craft. His usually smiling face was cold and angered.

'Dammit, if they killed her...' he thought. 'I'll kill them all!!'

"Duo, I see them" Trowa interrupted. "Do you know how to use her Lazer Cannon?"

"Yes" Duo said, gritting his teeth.

"You're going to have to confess what this is all about sooner or later."

"I know."

~~*

"He's been gone so long.." Catherine said looking out the frost bitten window. "So has everyone else.."

"Why dont you call" suggested Heero.

Catherine looked at Heero, then at a piece of paper laying on the table near the phone.

"Oh my lord!" catherine grabbed the paper-- it was a phone number. She picked up the phone and dialed the number as fast as she could.

~~*

A phone rang near them. Chantal woke up from 'resting her eyes' as did Quatre. Pippa crawled over to Shanell and grabbed the little phone from her pocket.

"Hello?" Pippa answered the phone.

"Hello? Trowa?" Catherine spoke up.

"What? Catherine? Oh! What luck! We need your help! Desperatley! Shanell is unconcious!"

"What? Where are you guys?"

"Illinois"

"What!?" Catherine shouted in surprise. Pippa heard a muffled 'Keep it down' in the background. 

"We, uh, were taking care of busines at our firm..when, uh ... Soldiers raided the building!"

"Oh dear! Tell me where you are so I can send help!"

"At the former Oz base in Chicago."

"Okay! Ill send for a Flight for Life!"

"Good! Thank You!" Pippa hung up and put the phone on the ground.

"What luck" Quatre sighed happily. He pulled a thin army green shirt over Shanell, closer to her face. Chantal sighed happily, then giggled a little as she looked over Pippa. She was off looking at the stars now, in her under clothes-- a tanktop and men's boxers, along wither her "biker" gloves and tall boots. She was a sight for sore eyes.   
  
~~* Review *~~ 


	6. The Dire Straits

~~*~~~*~~* Episode 16: The Dire Straits *~~*~~~*~~

  
  
The gentle winter sun rose above the distant hills. The giant group of trailers still sat still in the melting snow. A blinding sunbeam shone through the thin maroon curtains above Trowa's bed. In it, lay Shanell, unconcious still with bandages wrapped all over her body. Down the hall, a thin stream of steam poured from a door-- Catherine showering. The cackle of Pippa's laughter echoed off the thin walls from the little kitchen. She, Heero and Quatre, who was cookig, were all laughing-- Heero barely chuckling under his breath. In her tank, boxers and little kitty slippers, Pippa showed down on pancakes, made by Quatre. Heero played with his pancakes, taking a bite here and there. Surprisingly, his 'clean' white shirt was dotted with syprup!

"Man *gulp* these are great, Katcha!" Pippa said, mouth full.

"Thank yu" Quatre smiled, with a pink apron on and a spatula at hand. He _did_ seem to be the cooking type.

"Yah" Heero mumbled.

"I wonder when Duo and Trowa will get back.." Quatre sighed, flipping some more cakes, looking out the steamy window.

"They'll get back soon-- don' worry!" Pippa retorted as she handed her plate over to Quatre for more food. Heero raised and eyebrow at this girl's appetite.

"Yah" Heero agreed again.

"Nmm... Quatre.. heh heh..mm..." said a sleeping Chantal. Sleep talking. She lay half on the fold out couch, arms and legs strewn about the pink sheets.

"Hahahahahahahhaha!!!" Pippa cracked up as she tried to eat at hearing teh comment. She choked a little, coughing then just laughing more. "What was that!?" Quatre's eyes widened and his porcelian cheeks turned rose coloured.

"Hn... she doesn't seem your type." Heero commented, taking a sip of his coffee.

"N-n-no, I dont know what sh-she's talking about" Quatre stuttered. Pippa was still uncontrollably laughing.

"Whats all the fuss this time?" Catherine laughed a little, emerging from the bathroom, drying her hair.

"Chantal....was....hahahahahah!" Pippa at least tried to explain.

"Huh?" Catherine said, taking a plate from Quatre.

"Chantal was dreaming about Quatre, talking of him in her sleep." Heero explained calmly.

"Oh, dear" Catherine hid a giggle.

The four stayed silent, ocassionaly glancing around. But it was mostly gazes between the pancakes and Pippa. Finally, Catherine broke the silence.

"Someone should wake her up" referring to Chantal.

"Oo! Oo! Can I? Please? You dont mind, do you Quatre!?" Pippa burst.

"Why would -- oh, no, go ahead" Quatre said, not looking back at her.

Pippa evilly smirked and gracefully stood up. Heero, knowing of the evil look in her eye, smirked himself, sipping at his coffee. She walked carefully towards the bed whre she had shared the pink sheets with Chantal the night before. Chantal lay so innocently there, a grin plastered on her placid face, unbeknowest to her fate.

"Heheh.. She'll regret her ever being a blanket hog...yes..." Pippa snickered.

Slowly, the braided girl snuck up onto the back of the couch and stood up as tall she could under the short ceiling.

"What are you..." Catherine asked, but the nshut up, seeing her plan.

Pippa took a relaxing, deep breath and closed her eyes, coutning to three to herself. "1..2..3--"

"We're back!" chimed a familiar voice-- right as Pippa was jumping. It scared both her and Chantal. Chantal shot awake as Pippa tripped and bounced off the bed onto the floor. Duo blinked. "Did we come at a bad time?"

"Ow! Dammit!!" Pipped yelled, sitting up.

"Duo! You're back!" Quatre said, noting the figure in the door. A taller boy stepped up inside as well and tossed his jacket perfectly to the coat rack.

"Trowa Barton!" scolded Catherine. "Where have you been!?"

"Business." Trowa said calmly. He looked around the room, at the aching Pippa, waking Chantal and chuckling Heero, who took pleasure in other's pain.

"Mmmmm! Smells good!" Duo announced as he drifted towards Quatre and the stock of pancakes.

"Hungry? Theres plenty to go around." Quatre winked at the braided boy, who blinked at Quatre.

"I am... but I think I'll have a sample first." Trowa murmurred. He looked down at the table and decided to eat part of Catherine's breakfast, who was away at the moment. He guessed and grabbed a fork from the half-eated, over syrupped plate-- how Catherine ate her pancakes. Duo plopped down next to Heero, saying: "Hey buddy!" and digging into his own plate. Trowa carefully made a litle wedge out of a piece of pancake and ate it, enjoying it.

"Hey! What are you doing!?" Pippa shouted, seeing Trowa eating her pancakes.

"Eating" Trowa replied, going back to Quatre for his own plate.

"Well, you just ate MY pancake!! Great, now I cant eat off the same plate or fork or pancakes!!!" Pippa got up and tossed the half eaten food, throwing the dish into the sink.

"Be quiet!" Chantal said to the loud girl as she tried to wake.

"Hey, speaking of tired, where's Shanell?" Duo inquired.

"Oh, she's still unconscience." Pippa quieted down. She looked over at the bedroom then went back to taking revenger on Trowa.

"Unconcious? What happened?" Duo said, startled.

"Well, during that little fight in Chicago, when Shanell's suit was down, her head hit the screens and the glass tore into her and...she was knocked out cold. The the door swung up and she was, like, dangling out! It was kinda cool." Pippa gladly explained.

"Oh my god.." Duo muttered.

"The rescue guys came and took her to a nearby hospital and then we brought her back here." she continued.

"Where were you two?" Chantal asked as she stumbled to the table.

"Good morning!" Quatre exclaimed at Chantal.

"We were shooting down those last 5 suits. They were hidden real well." Trowa said. "When we killed them off, we just headed back here--"

"Hey! That reminds me! Wheres my suit?" Pippa burst.

"Mobile suit?" Catherine came from the other room.

"Euh... oh.. I meant my ... Business suit!! Silly me!" Pippa laughed.

"She doesnt..." Trowa began to mutter under his breath.

"Oh, yeah, haha... okay!" Pippa replied.

"Your business suit is at the Colonies Base in Toronto." Duo explained. "But who cares about your business suit!! Is Shanell gonna be okay?"

"She just needs some time, thats all.." Catherine told the boy.

"Can I see her?" Duo asked.

"Sure... shes in the bedroom. Why do you want to?"

"He loooooves her!" Pippa butted in.

"Be nice!" Chantal scolded.

Duo stood and followed Catherine to the bedroom. There lay Shanell, basking in the light unconciously. She looked so peaceful there in the blue sheets, wearing a pair of Catherine's pajamas. He walked over to the bed and looked down at her, worried.

"The doctors said it wasnt really as bad as it looks." Catherine told him. Duo's eyes teared up just the tiniest bit, but she soon wiped them from his big blue eyes and left the room.

"Keep her well, kay?" he said to Catherine.

"I understand, I wont tell" Catherine smiled, putting a finger cross her mouth.

"Thanks" Duo said as he left the room and sat back at the table to eat. For some reason unknown to all, the always unfriendly Heero, the monotone Trowa and the spazmmatic Pippa had engaged themselves in a fork fight over the last pancake. That didnt cheer him up a bit.

"Whats the matter" a concerned Quatre said towards the blue Duo.

"Huh? Oh.. I uh... just.. can't find my fork." Duo tripped through the lie of his. Luckily enough, Pippa flung Trowa and Heero's forks away, both landing near Duo.

"I win!" Pippa exclaimed. "Girl power!" she looked at the staring eyes. "Uh... I mean.. uh... sorry."

Duo grabbed his fork and just ate the plate in front of his-- who cared who's it actually was.

'I dont see why I have to be so down over her' Duo thought. 'I mean, its not like we're related or... in love.'

A hard slap on the back interrupted Duo's train of thought. Pippa bent down over him with a smile."C'mon! Cheer up, Lil' Buddy!" She squaked. "Everyone 'round here says you're always happy! Be yourself! And besides, theres gonna be a really great game of tennis on soon!"

"No thanks...I'll just finish eating" Duo replied.

"Whatever" Pippa shrugged as she lunged her huge length over the couch, grabbing the remote. "Anyone up for some lazin'?"

"Sren't you going to get dressed?" asked Quatre.

"Why? I'm takin' a break!" Pippa snorted as she skimmed through various channels, searching for tennis.

"Yeah, but still!" Quatre complained.

Trowa stood up, cleaned his dishes, then happily retired to the couch. Comfy. Quatre and Chantal sat together at the table, starting up a lovely conversation about mobile suits while Heero listened in, thinking of going to go watch TV. He could get walk pretty far alone if he tried. Duo just stared down at his disappearing breakfast.

~~*

"A month without any major attacks, huh. I'm getting a little edgy about this. What if the colonies stage a surprise attack at the general's base and we don't respond quick enough?" whined a woman on a screen. Her long purpleish bangs hung in her face. Her starched, green uniform was perfectly kept. In a carrier far away, her message was replied to.

"Noin, you worry too much lately." replied the platinum blonde Colonel Zech Merquise. He sat perchecd high in a chair, tidy uniform and even gauntlets. "Ever since the self destruction of 01. But nevertheless, I have a mission I'd like for you to complete on my behalf."

"Yes sir?" she replied.

"Find for me that pilot."

"But Zechs! Why? I thought he was dead!"

"I want a rematch. I just.. have a feeling. He's out there. Somewhere."

"Oh, I see. Right away, sir!"

"Please... don't call me sir in private. Zechs is fine."

"Right.. Zechs."

~~*

"Battle in Antarctica, is that so. Why, Zechs sure has gotten clever, hasn't he." General Treize Khushrenada, of the specials, said to himself. "But I shant ruin this for him. He deserves it, afterall, Zechs has been loyal to me for 10 years now I believe."

~~*

Music was playing inside the normal sized trailer. Pippa, Trowa and Heero watched the end of a tennis match. Pippa was eating crackers while cheering on her favorite player.

"C'mon! Win, dammit!!" Pippa exclaimed through a full mouth. She spat cracker crumbs about the coffee tableand tv, not on purpose, mind you.

"Eeww! Pippa!!" Chantal said when she saw the mess.

"If you think its so gross, why don't you clean it up! I wanna watch my tennis!" Pippa yelled back at Chantal. The game did, of course, end with her guy winning.

"Hand it over!" Pippa said to Trowa and Heero. They both reached into their pockets and handed her bills of money. Pippa counted them.

"You bet on the game?" Quatre asked.

"Yep! And got me some good money for it, too! And a little extra, heh heh." Pippa told them. Trowa and Heero groaned. Duo sighed angrily and continued to stare at the roof.

"Well, what now?" Quatre asked, flipping the tele off.

"I dont care, really" Chantal sighed. The 5 sat in silence, staring off into space. Not a sound arose from the bunch. It was quiet. Too quiet.

"So.. are you and Catherine..." Pippa asked Trowa, who had a pretty much sleeping Heero fallen on his lap. Damn Narcaleptic moments.

"No, not even in my wildest nigthmares." he replied. Several quick giggles escaped Chantal and Quatre. Nobody struck up a conversation from the subject. Sad.

"Hey, that reminds me! Did she ever return from the store?" Chantal mentioned.

"No, its a bit far, and shes a little on the slow side anyway." Trowa replied. A low sound was heard from down the hall, like a groan. Everyone sat up ... except for Heero, of course.

"What was that?" Duo asked.

"I dunno" Pippa replied.

"Whar...ere ah?" the groan continued.

"She's awake!" Duo nearly shouted. He jumped over the back of the couch, tipping it over.

"Ee!" Pippa yelped as the two men she sat with just groaned as they hit the floor, backs first.

Duo half ran to the bedroom where Shanell lay and carefully opened the door, stepping in. She was awake!

"Duo?" she looked at him.

"Yea! Good Morn-- uh, Afternoon, Shanell!" he said. Duo swayed over to her bedside and leaned over her. Akward was what it was.

Out at the fallen couch, Pippa stood up clumsily and started after Duo in a rage. Chantal still was in a bit of shock as was Quatre from the two events. Soon enough, they followed into the room. Trowa and Heero just...sat.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you're okay!" Duo whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Shanell said flatly.

'Exactly my thoughts." Pippa bumped Duo out of the way. "You better be okay, man. I stripped nude to save ya!"

"What? Oh, its just you." Shanell lowered her eyes at the tall girl.

"Damn skippy, its me! I saved your bloody life!" Pippa snapped.

"Shu up!" Duo pushed Pippa away.

"You!" she retorted.

"Welcome back!" Chantal waved at Shanell.

"Yes, definatley!" Quatre joined.

"I thought you all hated me?" Shanell was a bit confused.

"Well, uh..." Chantal mumbled.

"They're fixing up your suit as we speak" Duo butted in.

"I don't really care about that right now, just that yo--" Shanell stopped and though for a moment. "You're all okay."

"Aaaww! She cares about us!"

"Go away, Pippa!" Shanell pointed at the door.

"Reer!" Pippa hissed as she left.

You two, too, Quatre, Chantal" Shanell sounded stern.

"But.. why do we hafta leave?" Quatre asked.

"Just come on Quatre" Chantal dragged the boy out.

The door shut behind the three, making Duo ever nervous.

Shanell looked up at him with her big gold eyes.

"Duo??"

"Yea.."

"Why.. did you fly away?"

"Because..."

"..."

"Because I wanted to take revenge"

"Why did you want revenge?"

"Because...Oz is evil! and... they hurt inocent people.."

"Well, thank you..." her eyes teared up a bit.

"Yeah, your welcome." Duo flipped his hair a little and slowly backed towards the door. "You better rest up-- Ill be back in a little, with some food."

"Thanks" said Shanell, laying back down.

When Duo had gotten backto the main room of the trailer, he let out a happy sigh. The loud rambling of Pippa and Quatre's fighting about what to have for lunch, either minestrone soup or "cooked" sushi, filled the house. Of course, Quatre thought sushi came cook-- him, not being knowledgeable in eastern foods. Chantal gladly watched a soap opera with sleeping Heero. Trowa had politely untipped the couch and planted him at the table, looking through recipes.

"Soup is much better!"

"No, sushi is! Cooked" she stifled a laugh, "sushi!"

"Will you two hush" Trowa said gently. "Maybe we could have Macaroni and Cheese, the real kind."

'Sounds fine to me!" Pippa exclaimed.

"Yah, whatever" Chantal said.

"Sure!" Duo mumbled.

"Okay! 4 to 2-- get cookin, uni-bang." Pippa snorted at Trowa.

Trowa grunted.

Right then a knock came to the little door, rattling its bolts. Quatre hopped to his feet and anounced that he would answer the door. The little blonde boy clammered over to the door and opened it wide. There stood a tall, dark haired woman in a lieutenants uniform. From OZ.

"How may I help you?" Quatre asked.

"Is Heero Yuy here? I needto speak to him urgently."

"He's resting." Quatre explained.

"No Im not." Heero tried to sit up, spooking Chantal. "Who is it."

The woman stepped inside and bowed a little. "I'm Lieutenant Lucriezia Noin. I have an urgent message for you from Colonel Zechs Merquise."

"Him?" Heero snorted.

"Yes. He wants a rematch-- a mobile suit battle."

"Tell him I'm not interested." Heero lay back down.

"You have a few days to decide." Noin informed him.

Chantal smile and laughed to herself.

"Whats so funny?" Noin asked the girl.

"He's not going to be healthy and ready to fight for some time. I mean, he did self-detonate and almost died, there."

"I can try." Heero muttered.

"We have a nery good medical facitlity at the Barkley base." Noin insisted.

"Barkley... isn't that in Antarctica?" Trowa asked.

"Yes, it is."

"It'd still be a white before he could fight, lady. Your blonde roots are showin'." Pippa sneered.

"Will you all shut up!?" Shanell yelled from the other room.

"Yeah!" agreed Duo.

I'll go." Heero muttered.

"Great! Now, bring whatever you must! You have to be in top physical condition, afterall!" Noin clasped her hands, smiling.

"I need help up first." Heero stated.

Trowa immediatley stood up and helped Heero up, seeing that noone else had. He helped the injurred boy over to the closet. Inside lay severeal bags, duffel bags and jackets and shoes. Heero grabbed his items-- a pair of shoes and a rather small duffel bag with the name 'Trowa Barton' crossed out on it. They sat down, Heero replacing his shoes to his feet and resting momentarily.

Chantal and Pippa gathered at the end of the hallway, on opposte ends, as Heero suited up. He cringed as his jacket was placed on him, trying to bend his arm up to fit it through the sleeve.

"Ready?" Noin asked, still standing perfect in the living room.

"Yah." Heero said. He balanced himself then attempted to walk without assistance, without previal. Trowa came to his resuce, holding the boy up, grabbing both of their jackets, etc.

"Why do you have your stuff?" Pippa asked.

"I'm coming slong" Trowa explained.

"What?" Chantal was a bit surprised.

"Im assisting Heero, bringing my suit along also just in case.

Eventually, Trowa's suit was loaded into a blue OZ jet and they headed off. Pippa, Chantal and Quatre stood out the doorway, all three of them, saying their goodbyes as the plane took flight.

"Bye!" "See ya." "Good luck!"

Only Trow aknowledged this and gave them a little wave.

"Zechs was expecting you to be alive. He didn't think you would have actually died, I couldn't believe it myself, that you were here." Noin explained. They all sat together in a relatively small passenger area.

"How'd you find us?" Trowa asked before Heero.

"A few officers that had survived your attack saw where you headed, a few up north here saw your suits all come to this general area. I had some of my men search a 5-mile radius." she told them. "You're smart young mean, I would have never guessed youd be here."

"Hn." Heero grunted. Noin gave him a bit of an annoyed glance.

~~*

"Wonder why Trowa went with..." Chantal thought aloud as she stepped inside, to the table. She decided to help Quatre cook.

"He probably felt that Heero was still too badly injured to go his own. He was healing quite well, actually." Quatre said.

"Yeah... guess so.." Pippa added, jumping over the couch and returning to her surfing of television channels.

~~*

"He is alive, huh... Okay. I'll hurry up the mechanics on the 01... yes, I understand, I'll phone to nurse to clear him a spot. Bye." Zechs hung up the wall phone and walked out the catwalk to face the restored Wing Gundam. 01.

'It's amazing. How could such a young boy survive self-detonation. I better expact that from all the Gundam pilots from now on.' Zechs thought. 'He'll be a good match.'

"Colonel Zechs, sir! The repairs to Tallgeese are complete. But we can't fully restore the beam cannon on the 01 and in the time it would take to actually repair it, we could have made a whole new mobile suit." said a young mechanic.

"Use parts from the left arm of the Tallgeese for the right arm of the 01." Zechs replied.

"But, sir!"

"That arm was damaged in Siberia-- it's a valid handicap."

"Yes, sir."

~~*

Duo carefully carried a tray containing some food to where Shanell lay. he rested it on his hip as he knocked gently on the door.

"Shanell? Are you awake?" he asked, opening the door. In the half-lit room, Shanell sat up and yawned. She smiled and replied. "I am now."

"I brought you some lunch. " He sat on the foot of her bed and set the tray next to him. "Lets see... you got some Mac'N'Cheese-- its reaaaaaly good-- made by Chantal and Quatre, and some life-sucking tea." They both laughed as she pulled the tray closer.

"Thank you, Duo." she said grabbing the fork. Duo stood up and looked at her. He turned ans walked out, barely keeping the door open. Once again he sighed and came back to everyone else. 'Why do I get so nervous while I'm around her' Duo thought to himself.

"She okay?" Quatre asked.

"Yeah.." Duo replied.

'But I dont think I am...'

~~*

"Its hard to believe that it's been a month and a half since we last confronted you guys." Noin began. The plan was so bare and quiet, she just couldn't stand it much longer. Especially with her enemies at an arm's reach.

Neither of the boys replied.

"Not talkative, huh? Thats fine." Noin noticed the two boys' silence. They just sat there, staring down to their shoes and pasing land.

"He just feels guilty." Trowa spoke up. "About killing the pacifists. He still doesn't feel right. And I just dont feel like talking to you." 

Noice closed her eyes and half nodded. She understood. Not that anything anywhere near such an ordeal had ever fallen upon her. She just knew.  
  
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